You Raise Me Up
by Shadowspree
Summary: He had built her up. When he was gone, she fell. Now that he's back, they must both work together to rebuild what they once had.
1. Chapter 1: Darkness

**Chapter One: Darkness**

Darkness. An enveloping, comforting form of black. Embracing and warm. In this seemingly endless pool of darkness, it would seem that no light could be found. A pitch black, endless sea of encompassing Lethe. In short, it was pretty bloody dark.

Yet within this darkness, there was a faint presence. Some ebb of a primeval life force that refused to simply accept the darkness for what it was, and sought to fight against it. But this fight had been a long and arduous one, with noir clear reward.

The constant fight against the six-faced shadow that had accompanied him into the dark had worn him down; he could not bring himself to open his eyes, though doing so would not result in any measurable change. He could feel the constant pull of the absolution, but even now, the memory of the shadow that had surrounded him, invaded him, before relenting to the pull of the deeper emptiness, drove him to not accept the same fate.

The inviting magnetism to just give in, let himself drift, faced the silent challenge of words eked out on his lips, not producing any noise, but having a drastic effect all the same.

"We are not pawns of some scripted fate…"

Suddenly, seemingly in response to this silent declaration, a pinprick of light appeared, glaring brightly against his closed eyes. He opened them, surprised, if any feeling still remained, only to observe as a thread of golden light raced towards him. Stunned, it pierced him through the chest. Painlessly, wordlessly, noiselessly, another forty-six threads joined the first, implanting themselves in his body like an army of harpoons.

Now, despite the call of the deep, he was being pulled towards the source of the light, the threads tugging him inexorably closer. For the first time in a timeless period, the figure gave a start; his legs, started moving; his arms started moving, and without knowing it, suddenly he was swimming. The desire to live had returned, and as he moved slowly closer to that pinpoint of light, an exceedingly uncommon sight occurred

For the first time in what felt like years, Robin smiled.

* * *

Darkness. Slowly coming to awareness, the woman's head rose from the mite-infested pile of rags that served as a poor excuse for a bed. Her eyes, bleary from a sleepless night, opened to the sight of her apartment, if one could call it that.

A collection of unwashed dishes festered in a corner; a basket full of unwashed clothes reeked of smoke, alcohol and excrement; a small brown backpack rested against her legs, the worn leather smooth and cool against her skin.

One corner of the room featured a small desk, upon which lay a book, inscribed with a depiction of a stylised lightning bolt; a worn cover and dog-eared corners revealed that if one was to appraise the condition of the book, it would be described as 'well-loved'. Yet the shabby appearance of such a tome did not reveal its power, and as the woman slowly rose from her less than comfortable sleeping arrangement, the air hummed with an audible display of the book's power.

A seeming accompaniment to the book, a package wrapped in cloth leant against the leg of the table. Not much about the package was distinguishable, but it see me to almost resonate with the current exuded by the mystical tome.

With the electrical thrum in her ears, the woman began silently readying herself for the day ahead. Her sleeping attire, namely no attire, a situation borne out of necessity rather than choice, was remedied first, as the chill of the stone-walled room began to set in. She pulled bindings around the soft swell of her chest, and a loose sarong shimmied its way up her legs to her waist. More bindings, loosely made of bandages, were strapped around her feet and ankles, before being covered in a light pair of shoes, soles reinforced on the bottom with an extra strip of leather. A silky and loose top was place above the bindings on her chest, followed by a scarf that wrapped around her body.

The woman surveyed her living conditions with seemingly no emotion, as she moved without a noise to the desk and began depositing a few items into her backpack. First, a small pouch, presumably of coins, as it jangled when it was retrieved. A thin and grimy towel accounted the pouch. A final addition was that of a thin knife, the edge jagged and the handle made of bone. After all, a woman required some means to protect herself.

Before she finished, the woman observed her reflection in the mirror resting against the wall. Anyone would call her gaunt, her frame thin and wiry, many of the muscles that existed previously atrophied into nothing. Her hair, a grimy brown colour, was scraggly and required a wash, something out of the realm of reality bathing in public bathhouses. Her eyes were dull, no sign of life in them, and the lack of emotion displayed could have convinced an outsider that she was a Risen, if not for her lack of glowing red eyes.

As the woman collected her thoughts and portrayed an outer sense of calm despite her internal tumult, she turned towards the door. The black cloak with purple trim hanging on the back was like a punch to the gut, as it was every morning, as it was meant to be. She grimly set her mouth and reached out her hand to touch it. The unknown material stirred so many feelings in her, she snatched the hand back almost immediately, like a cook from a scalding pan. But, reaching out a second time she managed to slip the cloak off the hook and over her shoulders, the familiar weight providing a sense of comfort.

Indeed when she wore it as such, it was almost as if HE was still here, as if he hadn't left. As if she hadn't failed him, failed everyone.

She really was useless.

Her eyes downcast, and the hood of the cloak pulled over her bowed head, she pushed open the wooden door, thrown off its hinges, and locked it behind her. Then, she turned away from her ignominious home and started off into the darkness ahead of her.

She saw no pinprick of light.

* * *

 _Two hours later…_

Bells tolled throughout Ylisstol. The day was here and everyone was aware of it. The laughter and shouting of children was readily heard throughout the capital and merchants excitedly hawked their wares. The atmosphere of the city was positively electric, the joy that could be perceived a clear indication of the redevelopment after the war had been concluded.

The people were indisputably grateful to their saviours, the Shepherds, the members of whom had taken on an almost legendary status. Whispers were spoken throughout town, omnipresent, but more popular on this day. Tales of how Cherche had bested a wyvern in single combat at age nine; of how the dark mage couple, Henry and Tharja could turn a person inside out with but one flick of their wrist; of how the Shepherds had waged three wars, once against Valm, once against Plegia and once against Grima, and yet there had been only one casualty, that of the man who was behind the live-preserving efforts.

The people also chose this day to not just celebrate, but to mourn. To mourn the loss of their loved ones who had fallen in any of the wars. To mourn the loss of their former Exalt. To mourn the loss of the brain of Ylisse. Yes, for many this was a day of mourning, to reflect back on the horrors of war, and to grant solidarity to their fellow Ylisseans who had all been touched by the conflict in some way.

But a visitor to Ylisse would have been hard-pressed to know that today was a day of reflection, the howling of children and the bustling of the streets seemed to indicate otherwise. Indeed, such a visitor would be able to view the merchants flogging their wares, banners up everywhere, and ribbons adorning houses.

Easy smiles conveyed the genuine happiness of the people of the capital to return to the rigours of everyday life, free for the most part from the previously omnipresent threat of impending worldwide catastrophe. In the absence of the worry and negativism that had pervaded Ylisstol for what had felt like forever, the streets today were reminiscent of the two years of peace following the first campaign against Plegia. The people were also flocking towards the castle in a similar manner to how they had at the news of the royal wedding, Chrom and Sumia's joining bringing a moment of joy to the previously embattled city.

Yes, this visitor might very well be caught up in the crowd racing towards the castle, swept up in the tide of the massive convergence of bodies. And as they valiantly fought against the current to pause and establish where on earth they were, they would be forgiven for not noticing the sign that one particular alehouse owner was about to put out in front of his venue, reading-

'Years since the vanquishing of Grima- 2'

From the walls of the castle, the recently crowned exalt watched over his people, like the proverbial shepherd to sheep. The irony of that thought didn't escape him, and wry smile graced his otherwise grim face. This was always a hard day for him, the date he remembered his sister, who had fallen so that others might live, and his best friend; as well as the scores of Ylisseans, Feroxians and even Plegians who had fallen under his command.

Weighing equally upon his heart was the task he had before him, an address to the entirety of his city, not an easy task for someone who resented public speaking. Yes, he could deliver a rousing speech prior to a battle, but how to console a still-grieving nation, while at the same time encouraging them? Not an easy task by any means.

Feeling a light touch on his shoulder, the burden became easier to lift though, as he was reminded of the support he had behind him. His wife hovered nervously at his shoulder, aware of the suffering and grief her husband was going through, and dealing with her own at the same time. Yet, her presence there made it easier for Chrom to cope, and turning around, he was reminded of the reason that he fought, and was able to win in the first place.

Behind him on the walls were the Shepherds, or rather the former Shepherds who had won the war for Ylisse and the world. Around forty of them, not all were able to be reached, but a vast majority of those who had fought with Chrom were there. Many of them were carrying little bundles of cloth, in which their young children resided. Proud parents were accompanied by their older, future children, whom had taken on the role of older siblings to the younger ones, who shared their names.

All the big names were there, dressed out in finery, and it was a game for many of the children among the city to try and pick out each individual member of the company. There were the two Khans, predictably arguing with each other over who could consume the most bear meat in one sitting; many who had been promoted to high-ranking titles after the war had concluded; emissaries from foreign lands, such as Say'ri of Chon'sin and Virion of Rosanne; and of course the members of the, now rather large, royal family.

But even among such a collection of individuals, a hole could be felt, that one key member had filled, but no longer. Gazing over the crowd, Chrom muttered to himself with worry written in his creased brow-

"Where is she?"

Responding to her husband's obvious concern, Sumia squeezed his shoulder.

"It is her choice if she comes or not, dear. Forcing her would not help with the healing process," she gently reminded him.

"I know, I know! But couldn't she be here, even for her kids?" he replied, directing his gaze to two figures standing on the periphery of the group.

"I've spoken to them, and they say they don't mind, although it's obvious that's not the case," she murmured, almost to herself.

"You've just had plenty of practice reading emotions on Lucina's face!" he directed towards her with a somewhat bemused expression.

"Me, daddy?" asked a small voice, accompanied by a tug on his coattails. The young Lucina was now almost five years of age, and was taking after her older counterpart in her desire to avoid any education in the aspects of royalty, preferring to run off and practice stick-fighting with the older Cynthia.

"Not you, Lucy, your sister," Chrom replied, addressing her by her pet name that had gradually been adopted by most of the Shepherds and her own family in order to distinguish her from her future self.

"Oh," she said, as if that answer sufficed the question. Turning to her mother, she said-

"Look, mummy! Look at all the people! They look so small down there!"

"Yes they do, darling, and they're all here to see your father speak," her mother replied, her needling at Chrom's nervousness accompanied by a gentle jab from her elbow into his ribcage.

"Thanks…" Chrom muttered under his breath.

"Why don't you wave to the people, Lucy? I'm sure they'd love to see you," his wife continued on, unabated by his quiet discomfort.

Holding her mother's hand, the young princess of the halidom moved towards the edge of the wall. Able to see the crowd gathered down below, she held her hand up and started waving to them. The crowd went wild. While many of them were unsure as to the specifics, Chrom had sent out a flurry of leaflets following the war about the future children, much to Lucina's horror, detailing where they'd come from, so that the people of the nation would be aware of their existence and the new additions to the royal family.

Yet, at the same time, this younger, more curious Lucina had captured the hearts of many within the city, often demanding her mother take her for walks throughout the entirety thereof, interacting with the merchants and people who lived there, much to Chrom's delight and Frederick's worry. Indeed, often when Lucina went missing instead of taking her lessons in etiquette and dress, her sisters would find her playing with the kids from a local orphanage in the less affluent area of the city, that Vaike had shown her one time.

As a result, the young Lucina was a familiar face to the people of the city, and her enthusiastic waving was met with many cheers and waves in return. Meanwhile, her father nervously shuffled the parchment with his speech written on it in front of him. Turning to begin his speech to the people of the city, he was stopped by a call-

"Father!" shouted Cynthia, the older Cynthia, not the one currently developing within Sumia. She bustled over to Chrom, seeming breathless.

"I just remembered something about being a hero!" she said, accompanied by her trademark grin.

"Well that's great, Cynthia, but now doesn't seem to be the right time?"

"No no no, father! You don't understand!" she said, snatching the sheet of parchment from Chrom.

"Heroes, such as yourself, don't read their speeches!" she declared as she cast the speech off the side of the castle walls.

"Speeches should be made from the heart! Delivered with passion and with fervour to a clamouring…" she continued excitedly, as her father watched in panic the sheet fall towards the earth, fluttering slowly and gently, tantalisingly close, but just out of reach. Suddenly a gust of wind swept up the hill, catching the paper and tumbling it out of sight into the distance.

"Cynthia!" her father exclaimed, before turning to face the crowd as the bells tolled in the cathedral, marking the start of the proceedings. He turned to his wife, in a panic. Ever the presence of calm and maturity, Sumia merely shrugged and gestured out to the crowd, indicating that they were ready for Chrom to begin.

The exalt sighed, and faced the crowd, without the foggiest idea of what he was supposed to say.

"Oh well," he muttered to himself, "here goes nothing."

* * *

 _Below lies a transcript of the speech Exalt Chrom gave on this occasion. Multiple interruptions of cheering were heard, and thus this is a word-for-word copy of what was said._

"Friends, Ylisseans, countrymen, lend me your ears!

"I come before you today, not as your ruler, not as your Exalt, but as your friend. I know that the years of war we have experienced have taken their toll. The physical scars are still present on many of you today, and I feel the pain of each and every one of them. To those of you who risked their lives fighting, defending their families, their country, I owe you a debt that can never be repaid.

"However, I know that the mental scars cut deeper, and last longer. All of you have lost someone dear to you, and I sympathise. Two of the people that I have been closest to in my entire life have lost theirs as a result of the constant conflicts that have beleaguered our nation for the past years. I would never diminish the sacrifice of those members of my forces that paid the ultimate price for their country, but I'm sad to say that I can't personally name every soldier that lost their lives for us, though I do endeavour to.

"At the same time, it is important we recognise the sacrifices and losses of our Feroxian friends, many of whom are present here today. Without their assistance and support, there is no way we would have been able to succeed in our campaign. However, funny though it may sound to say it, it is also important that we recognise the losses of the people of Valm and Plegia. Many of these people lost family members, who were never fully invested in their armies. It is important that we learn to forgive those people who we fought against, and work together in healing.

"I look to every sacrifice with the same attitude, a combination of pride and regret. Pride that there are so many of you who were willing, and would be willing again to lay down your lives for your countrymen and your country. But also regret that you have had to, and regret at every single loss we encountered along the way. So today, I would like to speak briefly about the losses of two people who were extremely close to me, my sister and my best friend.

"You all know of Emmeryn, and I don't have to remind you of the sacrifice she made for her country. It was, is, her actions and words that inspire me to strive to be a better person, to work hard towards the rebuilding of our country and continent. It was her words that enabled us to triumph in our first war against Plegia. With one sentence, she won a war, through her faith in the desire of people for peace. Her death just over five years ago was a great loss to us all, and without her Ylisse will never be the same.

"The other about whom I wish to speak is Robin, our tactician. I found him on the side of the road, with no memory, no identity. Yet within weeks he was my most trusted adviser, and within months one of my closest friends. Despite fighting against his past, against his better judgment and against the odds, he successfully navigated our way through three wars. Without him, it would be fair to say that the casualties in the war would have reached perhaps ten times as much. Ultimately, he paid with his life to permanently kill the Fell Dragon, a sacrifice which we can never truly repay him for.

"These are two people close to me that perished in the name of peace; that sacrificed their lives so that others may live. And I know they are not alone in doing so. So I today would like to say thanks to all of the people who sacrificed themselves for their country and in the name of peace. We owe them a great debt, and the only way for us to pay it off is to work hard at living; to keep living for them and to keep remembering them. Because for as long as we remember them, they are not truly dead.

"I would also like to extend my thanks to the soldiers and people of the armies of Ylisse and Regna Ferox who enabled us to triumph in the wars. Without your assistance, we would never have been successful. Despite us downgrading the size of our military significantly, I was personally touched by the number of people signing up for reserve status. Hopefully we shall never have the need to call upon you, but knowing that we can gives me both great comfort and even greater pride. I am honoured to be able to count you among my countrymen and women.

"The final thank you that needs to be extended is to the people of the Shepherds, the key unit of the wars. Through the efforts of Robin, none of their lives were lost, and even when children, adults children, from the future turned up, they took it in their stride and embraced them as their own. I am fortunate to be able to call such a fine group of men and women my friends.

"I know there are many legends about all of them, which I'll tell you now are all exaggerated and blown out of proportion. Oh, except for Gregor, he really does drink that much! But the thing that makes these people special is that they are normal people, who work hard and work together. Their efforts were instrumental in our victory. So while many of us have gone our separate ways, we remain bonded by our experiences.

"I'd like to finish by borrowing from a speech that a great man once delivered to me. All of you out there, aren't there by chance. The people in your lives aren't simply happenstance. We are all bound together by invisible ties, bonds that join us and make us stronger than we are individually. It is the strength of this city, nay this country that has enabled us to flourish after the conclusion of these awful wars, and I beg of you to keep working, because the job isn't finished yet.

"Don't be despondent! Don't give up! Because there are better things ahead. Don't let yourself slip into believing that nothing will ever change! We aren't the pawns of some scripted fate, we are individuals, couples, comrades! We are able to determine our future!

So thank you! Thank you all! And enjoy this day of both reflection and celebration!"

* * *

She was not there to hear the speech, indeed, she was not even on the streets with the crowd of people. She was currently indoors, sweeping the floor of the stage of the Royal Ylissean Theatre. She sometimes questioned why she worked here, so close to her dream, yet so far away at the same time. The only answer she could come to was one of a sense of penance; the need to punish herself for her failures.

They'd offered her jobs, offered her support, but she hadn't wanted it; she didn't deserve it. So here she was, scrubbing floors. She came to the theatre every day, cleaned out the stalls, cleaned the stage and attended to anything else that needed to be done. It didn't earn much, but it was more than enough to supplement her Spartan existence. She worked hard, didn't get any complaints, but at the same time, she never spoke, not even one word. It was almost as if she had forgotten how.

She worked herself up into a sweat, it was hot in the theatre, with very little ventilation, only compounded by her unwillingness to remove the heavy black cloak. Reaching into her backpack, she realised that she had not packed her flask of water. She didn't react to that; she would be going and getting some meagre lunch in the not too distant future. She finished mopping the stage and put away her tools, before heading out of the building via the rear entrance.

The theatre was strategically placed by a previous Exalt to be on the boundary of the more and less affluent areas of town. As a result, the higher class patrons were able to come in via the main entrance and sit in the balconies, while the lower class filed into seats down the front. While the days of such poignant class discrepancies were long gone, the system remained, and as such, when she left via the back door, she was immediately greeted by ripe stenches and a grubby alleyway.

Picking her way carefully along wooden boards that made up the elevated pathway, enabling pedestrians to avoid the muck on the ground, she made her way to a grimy food market, where she would be able to purchase a meal. The atmosphere of the normally bustling area was markedly different today, casting the dim passage in a gloomy and ominous light.

Not one to be intimidated, she continued to make her towards her destination, initially unaware of the shadows following her. She did notice them, however, when a crunch of a plated boot hit the ground behind her. Instantly, she turned and faced them, sizing up the situation immediately. Realising that she was not going to have much hope against three much bigger opponents, she drew her knife, and held it out in front of her protectively.

"Oi! Oi! 'Old up there lass, no need to be 'asty with it, is there? After all, us fine gentlemens only want a chance to get to know such a fine lady as yourself. I mean, it's a day o'celebration an' all. Why not let us cop a feel, eh?" The lead man snickered.

Within two minutes all three were curled up in the foetal position on the ground, two of them missing fingers. The woman wiped off her knife, both wordlessly and emotionlessly. Throughout the whole encounter she had not so much as uttered a sound. Satisfied that the would-be attackers were repenting for their actions, she continued on her way, wondering to herself what they had meant by the day of 'celebration'.

Emerging from the darkness of the alley onto a main street, she immediately realised. The cheering crowd, the banners, the atmosphere, it all indicated the one thing she dreaded.

It was THAT day. The day she sought to forget; when he had sacrificed himself for her, for her! Of all people, worthless her. Immediately, she turned around, her appetite forgotten. She headed back to the theatre, this time hoping for someone to jump her. She could use the stress-relief.

* * *

They were in a convoy of caravans and horses now. The new mothers, of which there were a few, were huddled together in one such transport, exchanging stories and ideas for how to manage their new children. The rest of the company were straddling horses, with the exception of a few pegasus-riding and wyvern-riding members. They were en route to a particular location of Chrom's deciding, in order to have a private service to remember Robin.

The exalt was riding up the front, himself, leading the way, accompanied by his sister and his oldest daughter. At the present, they were just passing through Southtown, where many curious citizens had come out to see the convoy ride through and wave to their royalty. Of course Nowi had delighted in swooping low over the convoy, for the express purpose of stressing people out; much to her enjoyment, and her daughter's disapproval.

"Chrooooooom! Where are we going?" Lissa asked, somewhat perturbed by having to leave the castle while pregnant.

"Yes, father, you have been somewhat cagey about the whole purpose for the exact location of our visit. I know it's a service to remember Robin by, but why not have it at the castle? Or in the cathedral?" Lucina seconded her aunt's concerns.

"Well, you of all people should know where we're going, Lissa, after all, you were there!" Chrom replied snickering. Lissa clued on at that point, and promptly stopped complaining, but her niece still did not have her curiosity sated, and directed a pointed look towards her father.

"Don't worry, you'll see soon enough," Chrom said, as a familiar green hill came into view.

"Everyone!" he called, turning towards the convoy, "we've reached our destination." Barely two hours ride away from the capital, the convoy stopped. Libra began to unpack his materials, and Frederick started organising all the horses into a group out of the way. As Chrom began to head up towards the top of the hill, his daughter ran up behind him.

"Wait! Father! I still don't understand!"

"This, seemingly innocuous, hill, is the place where me and a certain white-haired tactician met," he replied, smiling wistfully.

* * *

Within the darkness, he had been struggling for what felt like an eternity. The golden threads that had attached themselves to him were pulling him out of the soft and warm nothingness in which he found himself. Far from struggling against them, he was actively trying to assist, striving to reach the single point where they originated.

There was no pain in the darkness, but at the same time, the effort of the exertion was beginning to wear him down. Yet, despite the stiffness of his joints and the phantom pain of his body, he continued pushing nonetheless. After all, she would have expected that of him.

As he reached the point of origin of the threads, the tiny pinprick of light expanded to an all-encompassing, blinding flash. Wincing from the exposure of his eyes, closed for so long, Robin was unable to give a proper account of what he felt.

However, at that time, that key point, when he was able to change his destiny, he gained the impression of a solitary, fleeting flash of regret. He regretted that he was coming back, after all the pain that he had caused. Maybe instead of having to say goodbye to him twice, it would be better if he never came back at all. But as soon as those thoughts rose, he quashed them, unwilling to let them dominate his being.

He had to return, for them, and specifically for her! There was more to be done. His story had not ended. And so, finally being pulled out of the all-consuming black, Robin was able to gain his first new impression.

Light.

* * *

 **A/N- Well, hello there! I suppose I should introduce myself, I am Shadowspree, though I'll sign as S, and I've decided to undertake the monumental task of writing something. This is the first time that I've ever written a piece of fanfiction, or really any extended piece of writing other than an essay. I'll just briefly introduce myself a little more here, but if you don't want to read that, skip to the bottom of the page for a quick summary on where the story is going.**

 **I'm 18, I'm a boy, and I've just finished my final year of schooling in Australia. Of course I could just be making that all up I suppose, but I'm not, so believe me if you want to. Now that I've finished school, I wanted to challenge myself to do something, and so I decided to write this. I never really knew anything about the Fire Emblem games, so I only learnt about their characters through Smash 3DS, but after playing as them I wanted to have a go at Awakening. (As a result of the Lucina trophy in the game, the plot was a liiiiiittle spoiled)**

 **I loved Awakening, it's one of my favourite games I've ever played, and the characters in it were fantastic. I've played through the game three times now, on each difficulty (except the easy one), and to be honest MU/Olivia was a pairing I never used (I used Cordelia, Tiki and then Lucina), although, giving thought to it, it's a pairing I like a lot.**

 **I like the idea of Robin building up Olivia's confidence and enabling her to grow, only for that progress to be lost when he disappears, rendering her pretty much mute. This story is going to take place two years after Grima is defeated, and I will try to indicate when any time jumps occur. However, I might do some flashback chapters detailing the start of the relationship between the two leading characters.**

 **Anyway! I'm really excited to write this piece, and I'll try and make the updates fairly consistent, though the length of the chapters may vary. My A/Ns will probably be long, but I'll keep them at the end of the chapter so you can skip them if you want.**

 **Please feel free to leave reviews and comments about what you liked or didn't like, and leave any ideas you have for characterisations or future chapter ideas. I'm intending to make this story mostly linear, but it might become a little episodic. We'll see.**

 **Also, by all means PM me with any suggestions or questions, and I will do my best to get back to you as soon as possible.**

 **Until next time!**

 **S.**


	2. Chapter 2: Light

**A/N- I'm writing this chapter straight after the first, so I won't be able to reply to any feedback just yet.**

* * *

 **Chapter Two: Light**

"Friends, we are gathered here today to celebrate the life of, and remember the noble sacrifice of our friend Robin. His life was full of challenges, intrigue and danger, yet throughout it all he managed to maintain a positive demeanour and a joy in living. He has touched the hearts of all of us here today and we all carry him with us where we go…"

So began Libra in a service to the gathered Shepherds and their children. Omnipresent were faces marked with sadness. Even the young babies seemed to sense the gravity of the occasion and were silent. Chrom stood up the front as well, with Sumia's arm wrapped around his waist, providing him with support and helping him to cope.

Considering the fact that Robin had not let any of their number die, and that many of them were only alive today due to him, his seeming death had proven hard to take for many of the Shepherds. As a constant source of advice and assistance, the relationships and eventual marriages amongst the group were in no small part down to his assistance. Indeed many of the future children had come to see him as a source of advice, due to his embracing their presence gratefully and trusting them to fight, when their parents wanted very much to protect them, only with the best intentions in mind.

Thus, this was a solemn occasion, with the Shepherds taking the opportunity to reflect back on what their friend meant to them. Indeed, as they would later discover, it was the presence of so many of them in the same place that enabled Robin to return from his state of limbo, as the ties binding him to the world overcame the pull towards the deep.

As Libra came to his closing remarks, Chrom stepped forward, with the intention of giving a more personal speech to the friends he had gathered on their journey throughout the lands.

"Friends. No that's the right word; brothers and sisters, ummm, hi? I've worn out my speaking ability earlier today, so I'll keep this brief…!"

At that moment, just as Chrom began, all eyes were directed towards the sky, where above them, a dark group of purple clouds had started swirling in an ominous formation. Hands went to weapons, many thinking this some new threat, or more Risen emerging. The clouds made a whirring sound as they rotated, crackling of lightning present as the micro-storm gathered speed.

With the same suddenness as it had appeared, a hole began opening in the centre of the clouds, leaving a ring shape over the heads of the perplexed and nervous Shepherds. A large crackling sounds began to build.

"Get down!" Chrom yelled, pulling his wife and Libra off the impromptu stand they had constructed. Mothers and fathers secured their infants and all the Shepherds raced to huddle under the wheels of the wagons, waiting for further instructions from their leader.

However, before anything more could be said, a huge bolt of white lightning crashed down onto the hill, scorching the earth, with a deafening roar that left the ears of the Shepherds ringing. Thankfully, Frederick had managed to secure the horses, and thus they were unable to escape as they so clearly desired to.

The bolt kicked up a huge amount of dust, leaving a crater in the hill reminiscent of a Bolganone strike, and the disturbed earth clouded the Shepherds' vision, preventing them from seeing what was coming out of the crater. Chrom was the first to react to what he perceived as being a threat, moving forwards, clasping Falchion out in front of him.

From within the cloud of dust a shadowy figure could be seen, one that the gathered warriors squinted at in confusion, unsure as to how anyone could survive such a strike, worrying simultaneously at the prospect of an enemy powerful enough to be birthed in lightning. However, the figure didn't look altogether well, stumbling and bumbling in a manner more befitting a Risen than any human.

The dust gradually clearing, Chrom was the first one to see what he thought he saw, but at the same time, denying it to himself. He squinted at the shadow, not daring to dream unless the possibility was certain. Yet, as he got closer to the figure, smoking from him clothes and with his alabaster hair standing on end, the truth became undeniable.

The figure seemed unconscious standing on his feet, yet the black pants combined with the white hair marked him for who he was. Disbelievingly, Chrom reached out to brace the man whom he couldn't quite believe he was able to touch.

"Robin?" he questioned cautiously. More clearly shown to be the former tactician with close observation, Chrom's face turned from one of worry to hope, then back to worry again when he saw the state of his friend. Robin was in bad shape; pale, gaunt and thin, and he didn't seem to be breathing. Putting his hand on Robin's neck, Chrom could feel a pulse, though it was seemingly like the rest of him, exceedingly weak.

Picking the other man up like a newborn, Chrom turned to face the other gathered Shepherds, whose view had been obscured by his crouched body.

"Libra, Lissa, Maribelle and Brady, come with me, now," he instructed quietly, as, one by one, the faces of the Shepherds lit up with joy, realising who it was that Chrom had found. The four that were called wordlessly moved to the main caravan that had been carrying the mothers and children, Chrom lifting Robin's unconscious form with him.

Almost without noise, the Shepherds gathered their things, mounted their horses and turned back towards the capital. Throughout the company, whispers, grins and excitement spread like wildfire, though none of it reached the awareness of Robin.

However, a keen observer may have noticed that when picked up by Chrom, Robin's face had changed into an almost imperceptible, reflexive smile.

* * *

"Olivia!" Robin woke with a start, his jerk back to consciousness accompanied by his head whipping up from his previously supine position. He was inside a caravan, it was moving, there were other people there. These were his first impressions.

"In Naga's name, where am I?"

"Hello," Chrom said, moving from behind Robin so that he was in view, "you've been gone for quite some time," he continued, clasping Robin's hand, almost as if to prove to himself that it wasn't some sort of phantom. Seeing Chrom settled Robin down; he took a deep breath before continuing.

"How long?"

"Well this might be a bit hard to accept, and maybe it's not such a great idea…"

"How long, Chrom?" Robin demanded, the wary glint in his eyes a reminder of his keen intellect.

"Two years. To the day," Chrom stated plainly, not mincing his words. Lissa, sitting in the back of the caravan as the last remaining healer there, winced. The healers had pronounced that Robin would be fine, once he had eaten, but would need constant monitoring in order to ensure that there were no long term effects. What long term effects, or what they were from would be a bit of a mystery for the moment, as nobody was quite sure where Robin had appeared from.

The concern at present was whether this Robin was the Robin they knew. Having experienced the joys of multiple worlds and timelines, the collected healers were unsure whether Robin was from one such. Even worse was the possibility that this was the Robin who had submitted to Grima.

"So long…" Robin murmured to himself. It hadn't felt that long, yet at the same time, it hadn't felt that short. It had felt like some immeasurable time had passed, with no clue as to how quickly.

"Robin? What do you remember?" Chrom questioned quietly, still himself a little unsure. The tactician's mind visibly wound into gear, looking quizzically at Chrom before understanding dawned.

"Don't worry, Chrom, it's me. Your Robin, I have two children, I sacrificed myself to defeat Grima and you once accidently ran naked through the camp because a bear had found you bathing, and didn't have your clothes for two days."

"It's him, alright", Chrom said, him being the one to wince this time at the painful memory.

"So now that all that's out of the way, please tell me, where on earth is my betrothed?" he demanded with a degree of fire in his tone. Chrom's face went through a multitude of expressions before settling on an uncomfortable halfway point between a grimace and embarrassment.

"Well, ummm, she's not here?" Chrom answered, obviously uncomfortable.

"So I can see," Robin answered wryly, turning to the back of the caravan. Realising the presence behind him that he had previously been unaware of, he started.

"Hello Lissa!" he exclaimed. "Perhaps you can inform me as to the whereabouts of my seemingly erstwhile bride-to-be?" Lissa looked even worse than Chrom when fielded that question, squirming in her seat and letting out no more than a startled squeak in response.

"Later, Robin, I'll talk to you about it later. Now, hopefully I can cover some questions you may have now so as to avoid confusion. We found you on the hill where I first found you. We are currently making our way back to the capital, accompanied by most of the Shepherds, and will be there in around an hour. Once there we'll be taking you back to the castle to better assess your health. That's all for the moment."

"Most of the Shepherds are here…" Robin mused. "Right then…"

With that he reached into his pockets where a small tome lay, emblazoned with a tornado on it. Robin grabbed this Wind tome and casually opened it. Casting the spell before Chrom's or Lissa's exclamation could eventuate, Robin blew the canvas off the top of the caravan. Promptly, he climbed up the wooden struts that made up the wheeled carriage and stood on top, observing the now halted convoy with mixed emotions.

"Hello everyone," he said, somewhat sheepishly, running his hand through his hair. "Sorry I've been gone for so long, but know that I am very glad to see each and every one of you. Now, I've done the nice pleasant part, so for Naga's sake, someone better tell me where my betrothed is, before Thoron has to come out to play!"

The convoy was stunned, whispers that it was Robin had spread among them, tough nobody dared to believe them until Maribelle and her son emerged from the caravan, their faces aglow with happiness. Nonetheless, despite being aware that Robin had returned to them, they were still somewhat shocked to see him appear in the manner that he did.

It was quite a dramatic entrance.

Seeing no response from any of the Shepherds, who were sitting astride their horses, seemingly stunned into silence, with even Stahl stopping his consumption of another bear pie, Robin sat back down, glowering into the boards of the caravan.

Slowly, the convoy began to move again. The silence of the Shepherds resonating with Robin's growing worry as to the status of Olivia.

"How are you feeling?" enquired Chrom delicately.

"I feel like I've returned from the dead. My stomach feels as if I've never eaten in my life, and I have a headache that would be crippling if I wasn't so worked up." Robin answered plainly.

"Great…" Chrom said, backing away slowly. The shock of having Robin back was beginning to set in. Suddenly, Chrom felt as if the weight of the world was lifted off his shoulders, and he began to smile uncontrollably.

"It's good to have you back," he said, beaming towards the tactician. Robin got very little warning before he was wrapped in a bear hug by his best friend. Being squeezed with all the strength of the still-training-daily exalt was a little much for the stick-thin man, who painfully exclaimed-

"Chrom! Too tight! Can't breathe!" Letting go of his friend with a laugh, Robin got hardly a breath before Lissa enveloped him in a similar situation. Being a little less physically strong than her brother, she was somewhat more manageable. This time, Robin hugged back, glad to be back in the company of friends, with the shock of his resurrection beginning to wear off. Suddenly, a masculine voice from the side of the canvas-less caravan sounded out, somewhat timidly-

"Ummm…If you are finished now, perhaps I could answer some of your questions?"

Knowing that voice, Robin stopped in shock, tears immediately springing into his eyes.

"Inigo…"

* * *

After what seemed like hours, but was possibly more like ten minutes of Inigo being forced into a hug with his father, the colour of a beetroot the entire time, although he didn't seem to protest all that much, Robin asked some questions.

"How are you?" A simple question, normally answered with a one word response in day-to-day conversation suddenly bore the weight of two years absence in its utterance.

"I'm…I'm good dad. I'm training hard, in both my dancing and my fighting. I'm part of the Shepherds still, and we're travelling around a lot sorting out bandits and helping people rebuild after the war. Lucina's our leader now, most of the first-generation Shepherds retired from active duty to raise our younger counterparts, while others decided to pack it in and leave it to the young ones. So our numbers are back to thirteen."

"What of your sister? Is she here? Can I see her?" The questions came thick and fast now.

"She…took your…disappearance…pretty hard. She really struggled for a period, but she's thrown herself into her work in order to distract herself. You'd be so proud of her, after all, the Shepherds needed a new tactician with you gone, and she really stepped up to fill the role. We've been doing really well with her and Lucina leading the way. She didn't come with us to the service, your service, she stayed behind in order to clean the barracks up. She said it was messy and she didn't have time to come, but I think she's still grieving. It was hard for her to lose the only person who she remembered from before she came here."

Hearing this, Robin almost broke down in tears, unable to cope with the feeling that he had let down his family, his kids. Seeing this, Inigo quickly intervened.

"Oh no dad! We don't blame you! We get why you made the decision, it was just hard for her and for everyone to accept that you were really gone…"

Robin had a word with Chrom, who had moved to direct the horses pulling the caravan, informing him that they needed to go via the Shepherds barracks before returning to Ylisstol.

"Inigo. Where is your mother?" Inigo winced at the question, looking down at his feet.

"She took you going away worse than anyone else. She disappeared off the face of the earth for about six months, before we noticed her in the lower areas of Ylisstol. I've tried to talk with her, but she doesn't say a word. It's almost as if she doesn't recognise me…" Inigo was crying now, tears streaming down his face.

Robin wrapped his arms around his nineteen-year-old son, comforting him. "Don't worry, it's not your fault, I'm sure she's just hurt and lost, and will need all of us to help her get better."

"You seem so sure she's going to be alright."

"That's because she's your mother. She's one of the strongest people I know, and I know that no matter what, she cares about both you and Morgan very deeply. She might just take some reminding…"

"…I missed you dad," Inigo sniffled, getting himself together. "I missed you so much. I tried to make you proud, I really did. I even stopped talking to so many girls all the time because I thought you'd want that."

"And I missed you too, the entire time I was away. It was only the connections with you and your sister and your mother and our friends that enabled me to come back. And I won't be going anywhere again any time soon."

And with that, father and son sat together in the wagon heading slowly back towards Ylisstol. Trailed by a line of horses of jubilant men and women, excitedly playing with their kids. An air of positivity buzzed throughout the Shepherds in a manner not seen for many years. It was as if the return of one person had changed the entire atmosphere of the company, lifting a heavy weight that most of them never even realised existed.

Before they got into the city, Chrom stopped the convoy progression, standing up on top of the caravan in a manner very similar to how Robin had only an hour or so earlier.

"Right! You lot! Obviously Robin is back! That's great, and we're all very happy! However, can I please make a request of you that you keep this information to yourselves for now? We don't know what condition Robin's in…"

"I'm fine, thanks!" interjected Robin.

"Right, moving on, we also don't know whether he'll be staying here or not…"

"Yeah, I think I will."

"Shut up!" Chrom yelled at him. "I'm not talking to you! And also, shouldn't you be resting? Wait," he said as Robin began to speak again, "just don't."

"So yeah, don't go spreading this around, we'll keep this among ourselves for the moment, now active Shepherds and any others who wish to, we're going to the barracks to have lunch."

And with that, a majority of the Shepherds accompanied the returned Robin to the barracks of the new Shepherds, a journey of another fifteen minutes or so past the city walls. For many of them, this place brought back fond memories of camaraderie and hijinks undertaken in the care of friends. While the wars had been taxing and stressful, the time they had spent together at the barracks had really solidified their interdependence and trust in each other.

All of the first generation of Shepherds had moved out of the barracks, living either in houses in the city, or in nearby villages. Some lived overseas in Valm, or had moved to other regions of the continent in order to find a place in which to fit in.

The look, therefore, of the Shepherds had changed drastically. After the war, many of the future children had gone travelling, feeling as if they didn't know how to fit in within a post-war society, and worried that they might be a burden on their parents. Such notable examples included Kjelle and Severa. However, within the two years that had passed, all the younger Shepherds had returned to Ylisstol, gravitating back as if the city itself was calling them.

Initially proposed by Lucina, who saw an issue with completely disbanding a group that had gained so much trust and recognition, the Shepherds now comprised the thirteen children who had travelled back in time, under the leadership of Lucina, with Gerome and Laurent as her deputies. Morgan had filled the role her father had once held, becoming the tactician.

The role of this group was vastly different, and at the same time very similar to what it had once been. Gaining a bond born from many years of fighting for their own and each other's' lives, the young generation functioned as a very efficient team. They now travelled around to all parts of the nation, and even into Regna Ferox if needed, keeping the peace as necessary. This mostly constituted combatting bandits, and helping towns with construction and rebuilding after the long and gruelling war.

This new group had continued on the legacy of the original with aplomb, each of the members becoming well-renowned and respected by the people of the nation in their own right. This transition facilitated the group's adaptation into society, and made the everyday people more comfortable around those who may have otherwise been considered outsiders.

The barracks had received several upgrades as the size of the Shepherds grew, now large enough to enable a suite of rooms for each of the future children, so each one of them lived in comfort. Though Lucina, Owain and Cynthia also had rooms at the castle, they preferred to remain close to their companions and as such, the group became well-known in its entirety.

Indeed, many different authors had taken to chronicling the journeys of the Shepherds throughout the wars, and one particularly enthusiastic writer continued to do so, now releasing monthly stories of the actions of the new Shepherds, while at the same time, Anna could be found hawking wares designed to show one's affiliation with and support of the Shepherds.

The dining hall of the barracks was particularly of note. Large enough to seat fifty comfortably, the group easily fit, sitting on long benches. Noire, Libra and Sumia bustled into the kitchen to set about making some food for all the people there. Despite everyone sitting comfortably, there were more than fifty present. At this point in time, almost all for the future children had had their younger counterparts be born, with the exceptions of Lissa's pregnancy, Nowi's pregnancy and young Morgan and Inigo. However, as the Shepherds were taking their seats and exchanging stories of what had happened since they had been gone, two people were conspicuously absent…

* * *

Morgan sighed; the stack of papers on her desk never seemed to diminish in size. She had take on the role of the tactician to follow in the footsteps of her father, but she had not been prepared for the paperwork that had come with it. She often remarked in frustration that she had signed up to be the tactician, not the administrator.

The black cloak she wore, emblazoned with purple trim, was heavy across her shoulders. The sleeves were too long and the hood covered her entire face when worn, but she would not be seen without it. More than just the image of the tactician that it had come to represent to the people of Ylisse, it reminded her of him, a constant feeling that he was with her, the weight on her shoulders akin to a hand, resting there, praising her for her dedication and effort towards making the world a better place.

Her work was not made easier by the ridiculous amount of noise funnelling its way down to her office. She briefly wondered about the cause, but quickly concluded that it was likely Lucina had invited all the ex-Shepherds back to the barracks for lunch, but forgotten to inform her of this. Well, she considered it bad manners to ignore them, so decided to join them. She was just tidying up the pile of papers on her desk when there was a soft knock at the door.

"Yes?" she called out inquisitively, "I know there are people here, I'm coming to see them!"

"It's me," stated Inigo quietly.

"Oh, hi Inigo," she replied, "why are you waiting outside, you know you can come in right?"

"I don't want to do that after the last time I did!"

"Oh, well I didn't mind, it was a mistake! Besides, I would've thought you would've enjoyed seeing a girl without any clothes on," she teased.

"First: eww, you're my sister. Second: you know I swore off that since dad, well…you know."

"I know, I know," the sixteen-year-old placated.

"So what's up?" she questioned, moving towards the door, "Are you just upset since it's the anniversary?"

"Stop!" Inigo screamed. "I have someone here to see you," he awkwardly continued.

"Well? Why can't I come out and see them?"

"Because they're a special guest, you need to meet them in your office."

"Fine! Send them in! Guest whoever you are, I hope you realise how annoying my brother is, I'm sorry for his behaviour…"

As Morgan continued spraying out words at an alarming rate, she turned her back to the door, facing her desk to collect a few final things before heading off to lunch. She heard the door open behind her and a set of footsteps moving into the centre of the room. As she busied herself around her desk, she pondered who such a person could be. They were definitely male, based on their gait. Perhaps a new recruit for the Shepherds? Or maybe Inigo had found a special guy? But he didn't swing that way, did he? Not like Kjelle and Severa.

Distracted by her thoughts, Morgan forgot about the person standing behind her, until her train of thought was interrupted by-

"Morgan."

She froze. Suddenly, all activity ceased, the cogs in her brain halted, she was still as a statue. She had no idea how to react, if to react. Unbidden, tears began to stream down her face. There was no way. It wasn't possible, she was dreaming, she was mistaken. Inigo was simply playing a cruel joke on her-

"My, what a beautiful young woman you've become," said the man, providing a rendition of a similar phrase used by Lucina's parents upon discovering their daughter. Morgan turned around, tears clouding her vision; but even with the foggy view, the figure and the voice were unmistakeable.

"Dad?" she whispered.

"Yes, sweetie, it's me," Robin replied.

In an instant, Morgan had leapt across the room burying her face in her father's chest. Her cropped pink hair splayed across her back, each strand a strawberry reminder of her heritage. She was shaking, as his arms came to encircle her. Her body was wracked with wordless sobs as the grief she had been holding back for so long burst forth.

"What? How did you? Where?" questions burst forth from her suddenly bone-dry throat. She just needed to UNDERSTAND. So she could know why she had been left alone, why at fourteen one of the three most important people in her life had just disappeared.

"I've been gone for a long time, fighting to get back to you and the rest of our family," Robin explained, "I've only been back a few hours, Chrom and the rest found me at the hill where we first met, although this time I sort of came down in a lightning bolt."

Morgan didn't respond, she wasn't surprised. Her dad was the cleverest man in all of Ylisse, of course he could find a way to cheat death, and of course he could travel in lightning bolts, her young mind rationalised. He was after all, HER dad, he was amazing. And knowing that he had been fighting just to come back to her filled her with so much pride.

"Inigo's been telling me about all the things that you've been doing while I've been away," he continued, "and I want you to know that nowhere in the world is there a father who is more proud of his children than this one." Hearing that set Morgan off on a whole new batch of crying, the genuine warmth in the tone reminding her of what she'd missed so much, of what she'd tried to shut out through work.

"Mother…" she said plaintively, unable to convey any more than that single word. But the intensity with which she delivered it, and the hope that filled her big eyes looking up at him, more befitting the young Lucina than a sixteen-year-old in turn touched Robin deeply. Here was a girl who had been without her father for two years, who had made the best of her life and done her best to continue the family legacy, and she was worried about her mother. The genuine sweetness and care he saw in Morgan's eyes reminded him of why he had been so ecstatic when they first found her, and later her brother. Speaking of her brother…

"Inigo! Get in here! It's family hug time," Robin declared. Inigo, who had been hovering uncomfortably outside the door, came into the room, his eyes misting up as well. The somewhat reserved teenager embraced his family with reckless abandon, incomparably happy that they were on the way to being whole again. However, he noticed the same issue as Morgan, opening his mouth, he turned to his father.

"Yes I know, your mother isn't here, leave that with me," Robin assured, "She's not too hard to reach if you know what to say." The twinkle in his eye assured the two children that he knew what he was talking about and they were suddenly confident that with his assistance, their family would be healed.

"For now though, I'm famished! I haven't eaten in two years! So, enough crying, let's get over to the dining hall and show them how to eat!"

Spurred on by his words, the two children, acting as such, despite their age, dried their eyes and neatened their clothes. Then, Robin began traversing the familiar halls down towards the dining hall. Not alone as he had once been, but with two children, one hanging off each arm as if to prevent him from going anywhere or from disappearing again.

* * *

There is not much to be said about the meal that followed. To call it lunch would be improper, as it stretched on throughout the afternoon and into the evening. It would seem that alleviated of the burden of the loss of one of their number, the camaraderie that had made the Shepherds such a strong team was returning in full force.

The food kept on coming. When people felt hungry, they went and made something from Noire's extensively stocked kitchen, or asked one of the more experienced cooks to do it for them. Nowi's breath had proved the catalyst for a fire-pit in the centre of the hall, and the tables were pushed back in favour of sitting together around the fire, exchanging stories, and laughing at an increasingly drunken Gregor.

Brady brought out his violin and began playing a few tunes, and it didn't take long for the atmosphere to take on the air of a party. And to a degree it was. It was a party celebrating the lives that had been lost, celebrating their great victory over the force of evil itself and celebrating the return of one of their own. Throughout the whole affair, Robin was the centre of attention, Shepherds asking questions of him, or recalling their fond memories together.

He was introduced to a number of the young babies, many of whom were a result of his tireless efforts as matchmaker, and by the end of the party, he had the younger Lucina curled up asleep in his lap, with baby Cynthia in one arm and Gerome in the other. On either side of him sat his two doting children, who fussed over him, making sure he had enough to eat and that he was warm, basically treating him as some recovering invalid.

As he ate his way through the best part of a bear, Robin was smiling, almost without realising it. He had missed this genuine family that he had surrounded himself with, missed being part of a team. Yet despite the warmth of his children at his sides, and the warmth of three children on the rest of him, there was a great big hole present in the gathering. Others noticed, but none chose to comment, instead savouring the moment for what it was, but Chrom motioned to Robin to come and speak with him after the proceedings had wrapped up.

One thing was for sure, Robin was worried. One person was missing from the party, and Robin couldn't resolve to call it a party without her there.

* * *

 **A/N- There you go! A little bit of family fluff to make everyone tear up. I also tried to use this chapter to describe a little bit about what the world looks like post-Grima and foreshadow some events that may come a looooong time further in the story (I have this planned out a while in advance).**

 **I'm writing this while I'm away, so I've actually just written this chapter straight after the first one, so I'm sorry that I haven't been able to respond to feedback. A lack of internet or reception does make such a task somewhat difficult.**

 **Next chapter will see the two main characters interact (yay!) and the beginning of more dramas. For the moment, I'll be focusing on characters and moments in their lives, although, I do have a plot lined up for interesting developments in the future…**

 **Once again, feedback is greatly appreciated in the forms of either reviews or PMs, so please feel free to drop me a line.**

 **Until next time!**

 **S.**


	3. Chapter 3: Solitude

**Chapter Three: Solitude**

" _Look at you, little helpless mortal, you have condemned your friends to death! Join with me, and you might yet save them…"_

" _You'll just kill them anyway!" he screamed back, attempting to make himself heard over the screeching wind._

" _Oh, yes, I would. But I was giving you an opportunity to go out like a hero, after all, what type of a selfish man would refuse to give himself up for the sake of others?" it replied with a snicker, felt more than heard, in the low rumble that travelled along the spine of the behemoth upon which they were currently standing._

" _We will never give in! And we will not let you destroy this and every other world!"_

" _Let me? Oh my dear hapless child, you have no power to let me do anything." With that, a purple glow was seen at the maw of the dragon's mouth, the red eyes glowing ominously, pulsating in time with Robin's heartbeat. "Now, do me a favour, and die!"_

 _With that, Robin was enveloped in suffocating blackness. He could see nothing, feel nothing. All he was aware of was the constant string of thoughts at the back of his mind._

" _You're not good enough, you cannot save them," they seemed to whisper. Despite telling himself that they were Grima's doing, and that they were wrong, some small part of Robin was at least receptive. What if he wasn't able to stop Grima? What if their plan didn't work? And what if it did, but in doing so, he lost one of the Shepherds, one of the family he had come to depend on so much, or worse still, one of his own family?_

 _These thoughts gradually got louder in his head; he knew that it was Grima that was planting them there, but he was unable to stop them. Collapsing to his knees, a single tear dripped down Robin's face, the sheer difficulty of their situation and his role in it overwhelming him._

 _Yet suddenly there was a feeling on his face, a finger wiping away the tear. Within the blackness, Robin felt another presence by his side, wrapping their arms around him._

" _Don't you dare give up, Robin," she said. "There's still work to be done. Besides, unless we get on with getting rid of this dragon, how will we ever have the life together that we've always dreamed of? Well, I mean, always, as in two years, as in, like h-how long we've been together?" The confident speech ended in a mish-mash of jumbled syllables._

 _Robin smiled. Of course he could do it, she was there for him. They were all there for him. And more than that, he now knew what he had to do._

" _Olivia," he said softly, "I have to do it…"_

" _Do what? You don't mean…? NO! You can't do that! I won't let you!"_

" _Now you're just being selfish," he chided softly, "what is one life when weighed against the world?"_

" _B-b-but I need you! How will I be confident without you, how can I live without you?"_

" _You have to," he stated definitively, "you have to live for me, to show that it wasn't for naught. And besides, this won't be goodbye forever. You remember what Naga said, that if the bonds I've made in this world are strong enough, then I'll be able to return. I have a beautiful wife, two children and the greatest group of friends that anyone could ask for, there's no way some stupid dragon can overcome that!"_

 _She smiled, but it was obvious the pain she was experiencing, her shaking hands clutching his, with the same grip with which one might attach themselves to a sword; and the constant stream of tears running down to her face belying her true thoughts. They sat, for just a moment, comfortable in each other's presence, or at least, as comfortable as two people can be whilst on the back of a giant dragon determined to kill them._

" _Wh-who knows? Does Chrom…?"_

" _No, I haven't told him, nor anyone else. This is to be my decision."_

 _She understood why he felt he had to do it, she understood so well. It was the selfless heart that she had become so attached to that compelled him to. Without that heart dictating his actions, there was no way he would be the same man that she loved. But couldn't he for once be a little selfish? Couldn't he see that it didn't have to be him?_

 _Her train of thought was interrupted. "Take this, Olivia," he said, as he slipped his shoulders out of his favourite cloak, the purple mark on his hand glowing in response to the pulsating dragon._

" _But this i-is yours, I-I can't take it!"_

" _Consider it a promise then, that I'll come back to you. And on that day, you can return it to me, sound fair?" Her eyes glimmered with tears as she held back sobs._

" _Okay, but you better come back soon!" she shouted with a conviction Robin was becoming more used to the longer he knew her._

" _Good, now to deal with…"_

* * *

Robin awoke with a start. He hadn't even realised he'd been sleeping, though the sweat dripping down his face and the fingernails digging into his palms indicated that perhaps the sleep wasn't a restful one. He blearily opened his eyes to see the catalyst for his awakening.

Sumia was motioning for him to come with her, and judging by her face, it wasn't for some happy reason. He handed her the sleeping baby Lucina and Cynthia, Severa long since having been retrieved, and extricated himself from the embrace of his two children. Inigo, however, was only using one hand to grab Robin's ankle, the rest of him was slumped up against the wall, his sleeping form nestled up against a certain blue-haired princess.

Robin gestured towards them with a quizzical look, asking Sumia for any further information she might provide. In response, she just smiled and held a finger over her lips, then moved out into the hallway, motioning for Robin to follow her. She cradled the two kids in her arms with surprising strength and poise, considering how old Lucina was now.

She certainly was not the Sumia that Robin remembered.

She led him out into the garden that formed the centre of the Shepherds barracks. Adjacent to the training fields, it was designed as a quiet spot for socialising, reading, or various other relaxing activities. Indeed, Robin recalled that a number of the Shepherds had tied the knot right there, with the company of their friends the witnesses.

Waiting in the garden was a tired Chrom. Used to watching over a large garrison, and now an entire country, he had gotten into the rather unfortunate habit of being unable to fall asleep until the rest of his comrades had, lest they need his assistance with anything. While this did place him as quite the apt commander, it did also result in his looking permanently strained, even before Robin's…absence.

Seeing his wife walking in carrying their two younger children, followed by their wayward tactician, a smile couldn't help but grace his face. He reached out his arms expectantly towards Sumia, taking Lucina from her. The young child was fast asleep, and upon being placed in Chrom's lap, proceeded to curl up like a cat. Chrom smirked at his wife, running his fingers through his daughter's hair.

"Not hard to see where she got that from," he teased.

"Chrom!" Sumia blushed, causing Robin to smile, the Sumia he remembered was not completely gone after all.

"Well lovely as it is to see you both, and grateful as I am to you all for helping me return, I'm guessing you didn't interrupt the only sleep I've had in two years for no reason, and judging by your faces, I'm guessing it has to do with the conversation nobody seems willing to have."

Chrom grimaced, his friend's sharp tongue had not been dulled by the intermission in his life.

"Yes," he admitted, "we need to talk about Olivia."

"We're seriously worried about her," Sumia chimed in.

"What happened?" Robin asked, breathing deeply in an attempt to stay calm.

"Perhaps it would be easier if I explained it all in one, and saved questions for the end?" Chrom suggested gently, aware that this was going to be a sensitive topic for Robin. Robin nodded to him, and sat down on a bench opposite him.

"Well, after Grima's defeat, Olivia took your, then apparent death, pretty hard. I know you said some stuff to her about carrying on, but she just found it difficult to do so without you. Your children tried to support her, they really did, but she just couldn't be consoled. We offered for her to come and stay in the castle, with the physicians and stuff there, and she did for a few months. But then, she moved on, and went to live down in the grimy area of the city.

"For the first year, she was better. She visited every so often, and would see your children at the barracks, and would try to keep a brave face up, though it was pretty obvious to everyone what was going on. As a person initially lacking confidence, when the reason for her growth disappeared, she shrunk back into herself.

"She talked less, and when she did, the stutters were more pronounced. We began seeing less and less of her, as did Morgan and Inigo. Throughout it all, she wore your old cloak the entire time. Once, she visited in the middle of summer, and it was scorching hot. One of the maids thought she might be hot in a heavy, black cloak, and offered to take it for her. She ended up with a broken nose for her trouble.

"The real catalyst was the anniversary though. This time last year, and the first year since your disappearance. We had a service in the cathedral, and then a smaller one for the Shepherds here in the barracks. She came to both, and didn't say a word. And at the end of the services, she disappeared. We haven't seen her since. To be fair, we haven't been looking, the letter she left made it abundantly clear that she wanted some space.

"I spoke to both Miriel and Libra, to see what they thought, as a scientist and a healer. They came to the consensus that she blames herself for your death. She thought that she was unable to prevent you from being killed, and thus didn't deserve any of the happiness that came from you. It's no secret that she struggled in life before meeting Basilio, and that some awful things happened in her childhood. It would seem that she think that this is what she deserves, some sort of punishment.

"So yeah, she's punishing herself for not saving you, for losing the one person who mattered to her most in the world. She blames herself, and is unable to see any other argument. Once her self-imposed isolation began, she didn't talk to your children anymore either. It seems as if she's punishing herself there too, doesn't think she's good enough for them, that they deserve better.

"And on top of all that, we don't know where she is. She upped and left, we're not sure if she's still in the capital, let alone whether she's even still on the continent."

"I know where she is," came a voice from the other side of the garden. A figure moved into the light, in order to continue their interruption. "I spoke to some of my friends around the city, and they found her. So don't worry, Bubbles, I can tell you where to go," Gaius finished.

"But I don't think I need to tell you where to go, to be honest. It makes a heck of a lot of sense if you look at the world through a lens of depression and lack of self-worth. Where would she go to punish herself, day-in, day-out? I'm pretty sure you can figure that out for yourself, Bubbles."

Robin's brow creased in concentration. Then it came to him, and along with it, unbidden tears. Yes, he did know where she was, and he did know how to find her.

"If you'll all excuse me, I have to go and get my fiancé," he calmly stated.

"I'll come!" Chrom motioned to get up.

"Not this time," Robin replied. "This is something I have to do alone."

* * *

Ylisstol was a very different city at night. Without any ability for light to be produced, with the exception of fire, or magically produced lights, the streets were gloomy, lit only by puddles of flickering flame that spilled out of the windows above. It was quiet, almost as if the city itself was sleeping.

The night was the domain of the predator. While the Imperial Guard had cut down on crime significantly in the capital following the conclusion of the war, there were still thieves and cutthroats who stalked the back alleys of the city, preying on each other, or on any unfortunate sap who took a wrong turn.

Most of them hid out during the day in order to avoid the Guard, who had been reduced to a glorified police force. Incidents may be reported, though, often it was difficult to track down the culprits in a city of a couple of hundred thousand people.

However, the night was not at all intimidating to Olivia. She had stared the absolution of the world in the face and survived it. She had also been a member of the most elite fighting force in the country. While she wasn't primarily a frontline combatant, she knew her way around a fight. Indeed, her assailants from earlier in the day were quite the anomaly.

The woman in the black cloak had acquired quite the reputation in the lower areas of the city. Never speaking, and vicious in a fight, many assumed her to be some form of Death itself, who stalked the streets in search of victims. The long and short of it was that she didn't experience much trouble from the ruffians who would have otherwise harassed an unaccompanied woman.

She picked her way delicately through the messy streets. The stench of rotten produce left over from today's celebration cloyed in her nostrils, and the squelch underfoot of discarded fruit was disconcerting. Thus, her motion along the pedestrian way resembled a dance more so than it did any deliberate attempt at forward progression. Her feet moved almost as if of their own accord, stepping and twisting and placing themselves down with nary a sound to be heard.

The silence as she progressed on her way was deafening. Her feet made no noise, she had no noticeable exhalations, and if one was to gaze at the face concealed by the cowl of her cloak, no emotion would have been visible. She felt eyes on her from different sides; rustlings in the alleys as she passed them indicative of others observing her, calculating whether she was a good target. But a hushed whisper and any signs of pursuit evaporated into the night.

She was making her way, as she always did, back to her place of employment, stealing back to the theatre under the cover of darkness. Whether the owners or performers were aware of this, she did not know, yet no comment had ever been made about it. She didn't have a key to the place, so she was reliant on the skills Gaius had taught her during her time in the Shepherds. Removing the simple hair pin holding back her grimy locks, she stuck it into the padlock on the back door of the theatre. A couple of wiggles later, she was in.

She shut the door behind her, ensuring to position the lock so that it gave an appearance of being restricted. Inside, it was dark; the big glass ceiling did little to improve the lighting at night. However, the soft, silver glow of the moon was still present, and aided by the shape of the theatre, funnelled down to illuminate the stage.

Walking onto the stage itself, Olivia could see the smooth wear where the feet of the dancers had worn down the resin. Practicing one routine over and over again resulted in the paths for each of the dances being made clear on the stage. Not that she needed a path, she had all of the dances memorised. Slipping the cloak off her shoulders, neatly folding it and laying it on the ground at her feet, she began to effortlessly slide around the stage, her feet seeming to hardly touch the ground.

It was moments such as this, the intimate moments of dancing shared only with the moon and her silent audience, in the form of the cloak, which gave her the only positive emotions she had felt all day. He used to love watching her dance. When he was feeling down, or worn out from the constant pressure of having to manage and balance an army, she would always be able to bring a smile to his face. It was something that she prided herself on.

She wondered what he would think of her if he could see her now. He'd probably think she was being pathetic, unable to face up to her responsibilities and unwilling to interact with the world. Although, the depth of emotion present in the dance she was mindlessly carrying out would have given him pause. He always was very good at reading her.

Unbeknownst to the distracted dancer, a door silently pushed open on the ground floor of the theatre, and a shadowy figure stole in. Pausing briefly at the doorway, before slowly making their way down towards the stage. But Olivia didn't notice. She was lost in her own private world of dance. A world where her pain didn't exist. A world where she was able to finally be happy. A world that would simply never be.

* * *

It was the strangest feeling to be walking through the streets he knew so well at night. He hadn't ever really had the need to go out at night, save for some…explorations with Olivia. The gloom was a little disconcerting, he found himself second-guessing his direction more than once. Even worse was the awareness he held of the other figures abounding the city, ones with far more malicious intentions than he.

Walking past the end of an alley from which the glow of a small fire could be seen, Robin casually lifted his loose shirt, exposing the rather impressive silver sword beneath to the light. The glint from the metal was obvious, and carried with it an obvious warning: stay away. His normal weapons had not been at the barracks, indeed nobody seemed quite sure where they were. His cloak, though, he knew was in Olivia's possession, though he was hardly going to demand its return.

Actually, thinking about it, he would be lucky to get away unscathed. After all, everyone, his fiancé included, had thought he was dead. Thus, what was her reaction to be when a man came out of nowhere and claimed to be her romantic partner? In all likelihood, it was probably not going to be pretty, especially if half of what Chrom had said was true.

Thus, Robin concluded, he needed some form of empirical proof that he was indeed her husband-to-be. Something that only he could know, or that only he would be able to do. Suddenly, a though occurred to him. He raised his left hand up to his face, an action that had previously not occurred to him, in order to ascertain the status of the mark of Grima. But upon a close inspection of the area, it was found to be missing. Robin was conflicted. While this was an undoubtedly good thing, he was free from the influence of the Fell Dragon, indeed the whole world was, and the disappearance of the mark proved it, it would make proving his identity to Olivia somewhat complicated.

Maybe it should be something he should say then? What if he revealed some piece of information that only he knew, in order to prove his identity? Surely that would satisfy her? But what if she rejected him? It had been a long time since he had been away, perhaps she had found someone else? Or maybe he would come with too much emotional baggage, maybe he wasn't the best person to help her? But she was his betrothed! And he loved her! He had to at least try!

These thoughts swirling around his head, Robin almost missed the ornate gate that marked the entrance to the theatre. He stood there, looking at the gate for what must have been ten minutes, unsure as to how to proceed. It was very tall, and footing wouldn't be easy. Momentarily, he regretted not allowing Chrom to accompany him, his help getting over, or indeed through the gate would have been appreciated. However, as soon as these thoughts rose, he dismissed them, he was surely unworthy to return to her if he was bested by a mere metal construction!

He observed a shopping cart on the other side of the street. A merchant's cart, presumably normally covered in some form of meat based on the acrid smell that assaulted his nostrils. But most importantly, it had wheels and handles, seemingly designed to be moved around to wherever the customers were. But this would assist him, and with his mind made up, Robin quickly traversed the width of the street to retrieve the cart.

Bracing it against the gate, he climbed up onto the serving table, then the canvas roof, his knees bent to assist with his balance. Bracing himself with his hands against the top of the gate, he first threw the temporary sword over, in case he ran into any trouble, he justified to himself, unsure without the familiar weight of a sword at his hip and a tome in his pocket. Then, psyching himself up, he vaulted over, sucking in his breath as if that would assist in what became a narrow transition. Yet it was successful, and he found himself over the other side of the gate, unharmed.

The rest of the entry proved far less difficult. Seemingly assuming that nobody would be able to breach the gate, the front entrance to the theatre was guarded only by an antique padlock. He did feel bad about the damage he was going to cause. Oh well, he could pay them back some other time. He swung the silver sword down in an arc, shattering the lock, whilst the sword itself remained unharmed.

Slowly opening the door, he found himself in the main lobby of the building, and a cursory inspection at the variously labelled doors revealed that this was indeed a labyrinthine construction in and of itself. He conceded to just heading to the centre of the theatre, and then expanding his search out from there if necessary. Warily, attentive for any noise around him, he moved to the entrance to the seating, and pushed open the door.

The theatre was illuminated by the natural full moon and the clear sky, and despite the advanced, or perhaps early, hour, there was light enough to observe the sight on the stage in front of him. And a sight it was! Robin could have sworn there was an angel on stage. Lit by the moonlight, the figure moved as if there was nothing holding her, for it was clearly a her, to the earth. She glided around on the stage like ice, seemingly lost in her own world, and in an instant, Robin knew.

He had found her.

* * *

Olivia was caught up in the moment. The dance had almost come to its climax, a twisting pirouette that was extraordinarily complicated and difficult. Olivia had seen many of the dancers attempt it, but many had hurt themselves in the execution. She could hear the imaginary music swelling around her, building into a crescendo as she wound up and….landed. A bit shaky on the exit, but otherwise fine. She held the pose for a brief moment; one leg balancing her entire weight on the points of her toes, the other one pointing straight up to the sky, her torso balanced out in front of her. The shaking of the foot on which she was resting belied the difficulty of the position.

Without warning, her pose was interrupted by a soft clapping from down below her, on the stage. Panicking, she wobbled and fell in a heap on the ground, a soft exhalation the only response from the figure, still clouded in the shadow of the night. The figure silently made their way down to the stairs at the far end of the stage, not rushing, though at the same time, not dallying.

Olivia's heart was pounding. She was unsure as to who this person was, and what they wanted with her. Crouching down, nursing her elbow she had hit on the collapse, she scuttled over to where the cloak was positioned by the edge of the stage, silently drawing her knife and holding it behind her, as the figure slowly climbed the stairs. She was ready to pounce upon them if necessary, wary like an animal backed into a corner.

Then the figure reached the top of the stairs, and she gasped as their face was illuminated by the moonlight. It couldn't be. It wasn't. There was no possible way…wasn't there? Her thoughts came rushing like a flood, as she beheld the clearly impossible man standing in front of her.

"Olivia," he breathed out, a sigh of relief, or a hitch of the breath denoting s descent into tears, either way it was clear he knew who she was, but he couldn't possibly be HIM.

"I'm so sorry."

She froze.

He beheld her, crouching down in front of him, a wild look in her eyes, akin to the cat that he often referred to her as. Had referred to her as. Two years ago. Before he'd left her.

"I'm so sorry," he repeated, close to tears. She was filthy; her clothes clean, but the body in them covered in dirt; her once beautiful pink hair matted and brown and the ease in her stance she had once held around him replaced by all the tension of a drawn bow.

With an animalistic yell, she produced a knife from behind her back and charged at him, covering the distance between them in a heartbeat. Without thinking, he drew his sword, and disarmed her by tapping on the knife blade with the tip of his weapon. The knife shattered in her hand, leaving her holding the blunt handle, yet still she came towards him, pounding her fists on his chest in front of her, almost as if to ascertain to his corporeality.

Yet even once this was established, she kept hitting him. He reached his arms out and pulled her in close to his chest. Even enveloped in his embrace, she kept battering away, facing up towards him only to snarl out one word. "Gr-Grima!"

Robin understood, she thought, as some others had, that he was the avatar of Grima, sent back to assist in the destruction of the world. Perhaps she refused to see what was in front of her, or perhaps she wasn't ready for it. Whatever the case, she scratched and she kicked and she thrashed about in his arms. However, Robin was able to extricate one hand long enough to place it just behind the back of her right shoulder.

Feeling the hand there, she froze.

* * *

 _The battle raged on, the swarms of Risen washing over the battlefield in an unstoppable wave. Olivia looked around desperately._

" _Robin! Robin!" she called, her voice hoarse from the previous exertion. Then she saw him, pinned down by a large group of Knights and Myrmidons. He buckled under their weight, a pile collapsing on top of him. She didn't scream, only began running towards him, despite the chaos surrounding her._

 _From within the pile came a glow, followed by a large explosion, as Robin released a Thoron he had been saving up. The Risen on top of him disintegrated into purple smoke, and he turned to smile wearily towards her. Yet he didn't see what was behind him, as an archer took aim from point blank range._

 _She charged towards him, unable to make herself heard over the maelstrom of the combat. Reaching him just in time, she knocked into his side, pushing him down beneath her, before a sharp pain exploded in her shoulder._

Olivia had settled. His touching her there, where she had put her body on the line to save his seemed to quiet her down. She stopped her beating and just stood, numbly looking at his chest, not daring to meet his eyes.

"You just couldn't resist taking an arrow for me, could you?" Robin warmly smiled down at the petrified statue in his arms. Then came the kicker, the thing that proved beyond a doubt, that he had returned to her.

"Hey pussycat." A simple sentence, yet one that carried a much deeper meaning to the couple standing on the stage. Upon hearing the words, as if a dam had come down within her, Olivia crumbled. She buried her face into his chest, sobs coursing through her body. From within the sobs, another word escaped, the second she had spoken in many months.

"R-Rob-Robin," the woman sobbed as she wrapped her arms around his torso, wordlessly communicating her understanding that it was him; that he had returned to her, a lowly dancer. Her sobbing set him off as well, as the familiar weight of her in his arms brought back feelings long since forgotten, and made him appreciate what he had missed in his absence.

So there they stood, the two of them sobbing in each other's' arms, standing on a stage in the middle of the night, yet even in such an ignominious position, nothing could feel more right. From within her sobbing, Olivia turned her face upwards to look at Robin, meeting him in the eyes for the first time. They stood, mesmerised in each other's' appearances, just watching each other; feeling each other breathe.

Suddenly, almost without thinking about it, their lips were crashing together, the warm, slippery exchange expressing all the feelings they couldn't adequately put into words. They slowly sank down to the floor of the stage, still connected at the lips; yet by the time they reached the ground, bits of clothing had already been removed.

As they put into actions all of which they were and had been thinking for the past two years, both of them were content in the knowledge of one thing.

Their solitude was over.

* * *

 **A/N- Wow, that was a doozy. Of all the chapters I've got planned out, this was the one I was the most nervous about writing, and while I'm not 100% happy with it, I think it's the best I'm going to get it. I really like the harder, edgier Olivia, and trust me when I say that that darker edge will be present throughout the story, and her character will really grow from what we see in Awakening.**

 **In terms of upload schedule, I expect that on average I'll be posting every week or 10 days. It takes quite a while to edit these and get them ready for posting, but since I've got a plan sorted out for the next 5 or so, it'll be a bit easier I suspect.**

 **One question for you all, in regards to flashbacks and stuff, I'm looking for recommendations. I'm not sure whether to include them as italicised additions to chapters, or as a series of their own chapters by themselves, chronicling the start and key moments in their relationship. Potentially, maybe even adding them as an additional story, so people that don't want to rad them don't have to? I don't know, let me know.**

 **A thanks is in order to all of you that have supported this story so far! At the time of writing this, the story has over 500 views and 8 comments, far more than I would ever have expected. Thanks firstly to an anonymous Guest commentor for informing me of the difference between Avatar/Robin and My Unit/Kris, that issue should have been rectified. Furthermore, thank you to Emilioger741 for being the first person to comment!**

 **Thanks so much to all of you reading this, and I hope you've enjoyed. Feel free as always to leave any feedback or suggestions you might have in the form of a comment, and as always, I'm open to PMs.**

 **Until next time!**

 **S.**


	4. Chapter 4: Companionship

**Chapter Four: Companionship**

Robin stirred, his bleary eyes fluttering open to survey the area in which he found himself. Somewhat confused, he looked around the interior of a small, one-room apartment in confusion. The walls were slate-grey, and the amenities, or lack thereof, spoke to the severe tone of the residence. Very few items cluttered the stone floor, and a lack of fireplace or any such facility for warming the place up left it frigid at this early point in the morning.

He was surprised that he had woken up so early, though he supposed that having been in some suspended animation for two years would probably leave him a little too well rested, his habit of rising early to check on the army and supplies kicking back in. He could feel a faint thrum n the air, some resonant magical energy that seemed strangely familiar, but he couldn't quite pinpoint what it could be.

He made to get up off the mattress on the ground, only to realise that his arm was stuck, unable to be removed from the pile of cloths that served as bedsheets. Raising the sheets slightly, he lowered his head to get a view underneath them. What he saw touched his heart. Olivia was fast asleep still, curled up in a ball and pressed in against his chest. It was this gravitation to bodily heat that had led Robin to assign her the nickname he had. Her arms were wrapped around his left bicep, squeezing it in tightly to herself with a strength Robin was unaware she possessed.

It seemed clear to Robin that this was a manner for Olivia, even in her sleep, to ensure that Robin wasn't a figment of her imagination, and wasn't going to leave her. Robin tucked some of her messy hair behind her ear, allowing him to see her face clearly. The peaceful and gentle smile that perched there reminded him of why he had fallen for her, and he was just glad that she was smiling at all, especially after what he had heard from Sumia and Chrom.

Memories of the last night, or earlier that morning perhaps, returned to him. Two figures, stumbling through the dark, one smaller leading the other, seemingly drunk of each other's vicinity. They couldn't make it more than about ten steps without turning to kiss each other, and as a result, progress was slow. Yet slowly, inexorably, the two made their way through the darkened capital, eventually reaching the apartment in which they found themselves. Quickly shutting the door behind them, the woman threw herself into his arms, and they again began shedding layers of clothing.

Perhaps that was why Olivia was sleeping so soundly, Robin mused as he ran his hands through her, admittedly grimy, but still soft hair, he had worn her out a bit. The expression on her faced seemed to indicate that she hadn't slept this soundly for quite the period of time, and for the moment, Robin was content to lie there in bed, stroking her hair and keeping the covers up over her head. Early morning light streamed into the small apartment from a high, narrow and uncovered window. It lit up the centre of the room, in a somewhat blinding fashion, leaving the rest of the circular room shrouded in shadows.

Robin squinted as his eyes took in the contrast. Getting up, he decided, could wait. He turned back over to face the little warm ball at his chest, and couldn't help smiling to himself at the adorable nature of the situation. He was very content to remain in bed all day. He readjusted the blankets slightly and lowered his head onto the pillow, only to be interrupted by an unexpected voice.

"Looks like you had a big night."

Robin turned over sharply, his heartrate skyrocketing at the surprise intrusion into his peace. He tracked the voice's owner to a seat at a desk on the far side of the room, obscured by the piercing light from the window. The speaker, an orange-haired thief, sat on the chair, idly sucking on a piece of hard candy. His trademark smirk rested on his lips as he sat, observing the two covered figures in front of him.

"Gaius! What? How?" Robin stuttered out in shock. The retired thief just smiled in return.

"Oh, don't worry, I won't be here for long, I just thought you might like a bit of a catch up on goings on while you've been away. After all, a tactician needs to know every piece of information, hmm?"

"How'd you find this place?" Robin questioned, inwardly accepting that Gaius was here to stay, at least for a little while.

"Well, someone had to keep an eye on Twirls here while you were away," he muttered to himself, seemingly blushing, though Robin couldn't be sure in the low light. Gaius had always been one of his closest friends in the Shepherds, in addition to Stahl, Priam and Chrom of course, so it was endearing to know that he had kept an eye on his fiancé, although Gaius would never admit to such a thing.

"Does Maribelle know you're here?" Robin questioned, raising an eyebrow in recollection of the relatively short leash that Maribelle kept her husband on.

"Errrrr, not exactly? I pulled a page out of your book and tired her out last night, so she wouldn't wake up early and stop me…" Gaius admitted sheepishly, absentmindedly running a hand through his hair, which actually looked rather well-maintained, Robin mused. Perhaps Maribelle was having a good effect on the thief after all.

"But anyway," Gaius redirected the focus of the conversation, "I thought you would want to know where the Shepherds, or rather, ex-Shepherds now, are up to." Robin nodded in response to this, it seemed to make sense; it would be easier for Gaius to catch him up now, rather than going and checking on everyone individually.

"Well, you already know about the future kids, they've taken on the mantle of the Shepherds, and are doing the job that the original small group once did. Lucina is leading them, and Morgan is acting as their tactician and planner. They've actually been doing really well, their well respected and liked throughout the kingdom. I thought there might be some issues with the whole future thing, but once Chrom explained the situation to the public, about how these children had travelled through time to save our world, everyone was very accepting of them."

Robin was a bit confused. Of course it was great that the kids had decided to hang around and help out, but he had thought that they were planning to return to their future. Gaius responded with a wry smile when Robin raised this concern.

"Well, firstly, finally having their parents back in their lives, in a future that wasn't torn apart by war and stuff was a nice novelty, so some of them were already reluctant to leave. However, the final nail in the coffin came when ol'Naga herself had a word to Lucina, and basically said that their future was erased now that Grima had been destroyed, so even if they wanted to go back, they couldn't."

Robin reflected on this briefly. So when Naga had sent the children back in time, she hadn't been sending them back in order to save their future. No, she had been sending them back to help prevent this future from eventuating again, and giving the kids that had fought so hard for her another chance at a life. It really coloured her actions in a much more personal light. Evidently, she cared deeply for those thirteen who chose to stand by her.

"Yeah, so the kids have been good, they all seem to be getting along pretty well, and they've moved into the barracks together, so they've got each other for support. And from what I hear, there might be a few relationships springing up between them…" Robin cast his mind back to earlier in the previous night and the situation in which he had found his son. He noted it down mentally as something to talk about at some point, though not now.

"Okay, so the kids are all good, what about the rest of the Shepherds? Did they all make it?" Robin questioned, wincing that he didn't know the answer despite their companionship the previous day. He hadn't been able to do a headcount of the people who had met him at his return, so he was unsure.

"Yeah they all made it, but not all of them are still around," Gaius replied. "Yen'fay and Walhart disappeared, as did Gangrel. But the rest of them are still around, though not all still in Ylisse. Henry and Tharja moved back to Plegia, and I think Sunshine eventually got over her fixation on you."

Robin breathed an audible sigh of relief.

"Virion moved back to Roseanne, and has been trying to rebuild it from the ground up, as well as assisting in the rebuilding the other regions of the continent, though with special attention to one area, the home of his wife, Chon'sin." Robin's head shot up in shock, but that meant…

"Yep, Virion and Say'ri got hitched. Apparently they bonded over spending so much time together rebuilding Valm. From what I've seen of the two of them together, Say'ri's old-fashioned speaking matches Virion's demeanour well, though I do hope she's managed to curb his enthusiastic chasing of skirts. From what I hear, they've got a kid on the way.

"You've already seen Stumbles and Blue, they're getting along fine, though I think having four kids is wearing them out. Chrom always looks tired, so I'm guessing that running the kingdom isn't an easy job. Might be he could use some help with that," Gaius looked pointedly at Robin. "But yeah, Sumia is playing mother to a city now, which she's enjoying. She's grown a fair bit from who she was, she doesn't fall over as much, at least.

"Lon'qu's moved to the capital, and is living with Lissa in the castle. He and Chrom at least have someone to spar against now, so they tend to do that each morning. I've been invited a few times, though, they're a little beyond my capabilities. And Lissa is constantly teasing him and playing pranks on everyone. Though, saying that, she's also matured a lot, and is now taking a more active part in the day-to-day administration of the city and the land.

"Our wary knight is still the same, working ridiculously hard, with no need for it. He's leading the army in training and rebuilding now, although we've downsized a lot. He's also started running classes in combat for people who want to learn, and the money raised from that has helped the treasury immensely, not that I would have, you know checked, or anything. He's at least getting Cordelia to help him, although she's equally as busy running the new Pegasus Knight School, so those two really haven't changed at all.

"One thing that has changed is that Ylisse's army is branching out. After the war against Valm, where they had so many military options available from different types of fighters, Chrom invited Cherche to stay in Ylisstol and assist in raising a garrison of Wyvern and Griffon Riders. It was an easy decision for her as well, as Vaike was keen to stay in the city. He's helping educate the students in how to fight with an axe, although, I think he might sometimes be more of a hindrance than a help.

"You should see the rivalry that Cherche and Cordelia have going over their training schools! With no enemies really left, they mostly focus on trying to outdo each other. I reckon it's probably good, keeps everyone training hard, but I tell you, the weekly inter-group sparring sessions are pretty heated.

"Sully and Stahl are training the next generation of cavaliers, and their students probably get a kick out of the difference between the two. A laugh from Stahl and a literal kick from Sully. Though I reckon they're enjoying being able to boss some kids around, especially with the starry-eyed looks they receive. Oh and Miriel's husband, what's his name? He's apparently helping out with them as well. I heard he got promoted to general after the war, though nobody's seen him since, well except Miriel I suppose. She's helping Ricken with the training of new magically talented people. Mages aren't exactly easy to come by, so training more should be useful. Nowi and Donnel went off to work on their farm, which Nowi is very keen on. Donnel's got a hard job keeping her from eating all of the produce though.

"Padre and Panne have been off travelling around the country. They reckon there's more Taguel out there, so they're trying to find them, while at the same time educating people not to be scared of the shapeshifters, and to embrace them into society, rather than let another occurrence like what happened to Panne's family happen. The Khans are still ruling Regna Ferox, but I think Flavia is still in charge. Gregor's up there in Ferox with them, apparently he gets along with them the best because they are the closest to him in age. Or, I think that's what he said, it's sometimes hard to tell with Gregor. And then there's me, but I'm kinda boring. I've just been hanging out with Maribelle, drinking tea and whatnot."

Robin raised one eyebrow at this. As Gaius had related his tale, the room had begun to lighten, and as such, the tactician had a better view of the man's face. Gaius seemed genuine in his statements, although he did pick up on Robin's suspicion.

"No really! I'm going straight, I'm not stealing any more now. Maribelle…convinced me not to." Robin didn't want to know, though seeing Gaius' wistful expression, it was clear that he was telling the truth. Gathering his thoughts together, he noticed that a couple of people hadn't been mentioned in Gaius' rambling spiel.

"What about Aversa? And Priam and Anna?" he asked Gaius hesitantly. Not being mentioned was bad right? Gaius had said that they'd all made it through the campaign, but what if they'd been injured? Or if they hated him?

"Aversa is…still Aversa," Gaius grimaced. "She's roaming around, and pops in time to time, unannounced, often at bad times." Robin smiled to himself; that in itself wasn't surprising.

"Anna and Priam, well, Priam was one of the leading people looking for you, he's been travelling all over both continents hoping to find you, and Anna was with him." Robin smiled at this, he and Priam had bonded quite significantly over the campaign in Valm, and Robin rationalised that if Priam were missing, he would travel looking for him as well.

"Something weird happened with them though…" Gaius started, but was interrupted by a stirring from the curled up figure next to Robin. "But I'll tell you about that later, that's my cue to disappear, don't exactly want her finding out I broke into her house. Though you should probably encourage her to get a lock." Gaius got up to leave, popping another lollipop into his mouth as he did so. He silently moved over to the door and prised it open.

"You might want to get those 'products of your hard work' looked at today," he suggested, looking down at Robin's bare chest, which was adorned with long scratches from fingernails. "Wouldn't want them getting infected," he smirked. Robin blushed heavily in response to this, he hadn't noticed the effects of the previous night's activities. Gaius swung the door shut behind him. Before closing it, he added one last thing.

"Oh, and Chrom said to tell you to come to the castle when you were dressed and stuff. Both of you." Robin couldn't exactly ignore a summons from the Exalt, and he thanked Gaius for his time. Once the man had shut the door to the diminutive apartment behind him, Robin turned over to face Olivia. Her eyes fluttered open in response to his movement, and she turned her head up to meet his. She looked so beautiful to him in that moment, her visage one of childish wonderment as she came to realise that his presence was not merely a figment of her imagination, but rather a reality.

"Good morning," he said to her, after a suitable period with their lips enmeshed. "Sleep well?" The absurdity of that question in the situation they were in was enough to set her off into a fit of giggles, an unfamiliar feeling to her in recent years. Her fiancé had returned from the dead, they had spent an exhausting night together and had no clear plans for what they were going to do past breakfast, and he wanted to know whether she had slept well? She was overwhelmed with joy, and she wrapped him in a crushing hug, pulling him into her chest.

"Umm, Olivia, lovely though this position is, we need to go see Chrom at some point today," he jokingly chided her. Olivia, realising what she had been doing, blushed in a manner reminiscent of when Robin had first met her, and covered her face with her hands. Robin smiled to himself, shadows of the old Olivia were still very much present.

"You're really here…" she murmured, almost to herself.

"Yeah, I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere again," he replied, wrapping her in a hug of his own.

"How did you come back?"

"I think it was the friendships I had with all of the people here that pulled me back. It was like Naga said, the bonds I had with the people of this world were stronger than the pull of death, and as a result I got to live. It just took a little while for that to kick in, I suppose. So at the end of the day, you're the reason I'm back," he justified.

"And you're here to stay?" she probed, looking at him pleadingly.

"Yes," he affirmed, "I'm not going anywhere." She appeared desperate for reassurance. Though he could hardly blame her, he had disappeared for two years and returned with seemingly no rhyme or reason to it, so in her head it would be perfectly reasonable to assume that he might disappear again. While he couldn't be sure whether he would be taken away again, the disappearance of the mark on his hand and the absence of the dark feeling at the back of his mind, that indicated Grima's presence, seemed to reveal that he was no longer tainted by the Fell Dragon.

"Our kids are worried about you," Robin directed towards the still naked woman beside him. "They haven't seen you in a while, and they think it's because you don't like them, or don't want them." This caused Olivia to burst out into a whole new stream of tears. Sniffing and blinking heavily throughout, she responded to Robin.

"I thought they deserved better than me, some hopeless woman who can't even take care of their father. I thought they would blame me for your…absence…and so me staying away would help them heal." Robin could see how she'd come to that thought, yet it was also so wrong at the same time.

"Don't be silly," he comforted, running a hand through her hair, "to them, there's nothing more important than having their family whole again. Even when I got back they were worried about you. They don't blame you at all, they're worried about you, as is everyone else. They just want their mother back. They already lost her once, so losing her again would be really hard for them I think." Olivia shook in his arms, quietly sobbing as the implications of her self-imposed isolation became apparent.

"Do you think they'll forgive me?" Olivia asked in a small voice.

'No question about it, you've just got to be there for them, to come back to them, and they'll forgive you instantly."

"…We got very lucky, didn't we?"

"Yes, we have two wonderful kids, who we should both be so proud of," Robin replied, sensing that Olivia was starting to improve. "Hey, you're not stuttering at all," he noted. Olivia paused, thinking back over their conversation before coming to the same realisation that Robin had.

"Maybe it's the shock of having you back? It's removed it from my system or something? You always were easy to talk to, so maybe it'll be there with other people?"

"Or maybe it's because you're a different person from whom you used to be," Robin suggested. "I know me being away these past few years has been tough on you, but I think it has caused you to be more able to fend for yourself, and more aggressive," he smirked, gesturing towards the scratches all over his chest and back. Olivia winced, then blushed, seeing them.

"Sorry! I-I missed you a lot…" she stuttered a bit on that one, her embarrassment colouring her cheeks. While she was always more confident when the two of them were alone, she had been a bit timid in bed, vastly different from their experience last night.

"I'm not complaining," Robin winked at her. "Now, we should probably get dressed, Chrom wants to see us up at the castle, and we're not exactly dressed for the occasion." He extricated his arm from Olivia's vice-like grip and stood up, removing the blankets from their bed at the same time, exposing Olivia's nude form to his eyes. She blushed and attempted to cover herself modestly, before recognising the situation they were in and giving up.

"Well that's a change," Robin remarked, "since when were you comfortable with me seeing you without any clothes?"

"Since you proved you deserved it," Olivia shot back. This time it was Robin that blushed. This new Olivia might prove to be a bit of a handful, she was certainly a far cry from the demure creature he had once known, although she wasn't nearly as confident as she made out. She began to replace her smallclothes on her person, leaving Robin to do the same. He redressed himself in the same attire as he had worn yesterday, he didn't exactly have anything more to wear. Olivia opened the small chest at the end of her bed, adorning herself in a clean version of her traditional dancer's outfit. Robin had always liked the form-hugging outfit, it showed off Olivia's figure in a very alluring manner.

She attached the ribbon like scarves to her wrists, and pulled a worn hairbrush out of the bottom of the chest, wrestling her hair into a messy braid. Robin was ready at about the same time as her, and as he made to head towards the door, Olivia stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

"I believe this belongs to you." She handed him his black and purple tactician's coat, aiding him in putting on his trademark garb. "I've been taking care of it for you." Robin was filled with an immense sense of gratitude, the simple act of placing the familiar coat on cementing the fact that he had returned in his mind. The adjustments he had made to the cloak were still there, an extra-large pocket on the inside left, designed to keep a tome handy, and a buckle on the outside right where a sword might be attached in its scabbard.

"Not only that though," she smiled at him, turning away to walk over to the far side of the room. Somehow, she must have sensed his eyes on her, because as she walked, she began swaying her hips from side-to-side in a most scandalous fashion that very much attracted attention to her. She paused at the desk, picking up a small bundle, before bending over to the ground to pick up another bundle of cloth, keeping her legs straight and using her dancer's flexibility to bend down, a deliberate attempt to encapsulate Robin's attention on her long legs, and what they led up to.

When she turned around, his flushed face indicated to her that her ploy had been successful. She slid back across the floor to him, and presented him with the two packages. Stirred out of his reverie, Robin began unwrapping the first of the cloth-bound items. As he did so, the electrical hum that had been present in the air the whole time, but that he had not been consciously aware of, intensified. The cloths fell away to reveal Thoron, his most powerful spell, and the one that he had used the most times. The electrical hum was coming from the magical power that it resonated, though this was being intensified by whatever the second package concealed.

Robin placed the tome in the pocket it was accustomed to in his cloak. The familiar weight was comforting, and made him feel more like himself. Having seen the contents of the first package, Robin was fairly certain he knew what the second contained, as he opened it to reveal a sword, styled in the effigy of a lightning bolt. The Levin Sword, an extraordinarily rare magical sword that enabled its user to not only fight with it, but cast magic too. It's unusual, jagged shape, made it difficult to fight against at close range, and unpredictable. It was Robin's weapon of choice, one that had been forged for him by the blacksmiths of the castle as a present from Chrom for his services during the first war against Plegia.

The sword was humming with the same magical energy as the Thoron tome had been. The two of their frequencies combined together to create a resonant frequency that was piercing and must have been distracting to Olivia, hence her wrapping them up. With a brief thought, Robin cancelled their humming, and fastened the sword at his hip.

"I was always jealous of how you could do that," Olivia interrupted his distracted train of thought. "You have no idea how annoying that humming was." Robin felt bad for her, it was his fault that she'd had to put up with the awful noise for two years, he should have taught her how to use them, or at least how to shut them up. Oh well, he conceded internally, there was little he could have done. He resolved to improve this time around.

"Why did you choose to live here?" he wondered aloud. I know Shepherd's wages weren't great, but I thought Chrom was resolved to pay a dividend to all the fighters at the end of the war to ensure that they could live comfortably afterwards.

"It was close to where I worked," Olivia replied with her face downcast. Both of them knew that was a lie. Both of them knew the real reason she had come here. Indeed, both of them knew the reason she had worked at the theatre. Yet, because both of them knew these things, there was no need to talk about any of them. That conversation happened silently between them, carried out in a few fleeting seconds of eye-contact, in which they silently resolved to avoid talking about that unless necessary.

"So, what are your plans?" Olivia broke the uncomfortable silence. They had both been so wrapped up in the moment, in the heady excitement of being back together again that they had neglected to consider what the next steps in their lives would be. Obviously it went without saying that those steps would occur together, but the exact nature thereof was something yet to be considered.

"Well, first I've got to go see Chrom this morning, and you're meant to come with me, but after that I hadn't really considered, to be honest. I assume that Chrom will have some ideas, but honestly, I'm open to suggestions. What about you? Still wanting to dance?"

"Yeah of course I still want to dance, I'm just not sure I'm good enough for the theatre or for the Ylissean Theatre Company. I'm sure they'll just think I'm hopeless…" Olivia trailed off as her eyes slid to the floor, her hands clasped together nervously in front of her. Robin responded with all the confidence he could muster.

"Don't be silly! Of course you're good enough, in fact most of them probably aren't even in the same league as you. I'm sure that you could become involved in it, and I'm willing to help you with that in any way you need. I'm sure Chrom can pull a few strings if necessary." The smile that blazed across Olivia's face was all the reward Robin needed for such a statement. Always a little lacking in confidence, even now, having one person believe in her so strongly was such a positive thing for the dancer.

"And we also need to go on a family trip," he declared. He could see it now, a series of outings together to rebuild their family, improve Olivia's confidence and reintegrate her with the world that she had managed to cut herself off from.

"…What about marriage?" Olivia muttered. Robin blushed even darker, having completely forgotten that they weren't actually married yet.

"Umm, yeah, we'll need to sort out a wedding and stuff won't we? Naga, that's going to be a lot of work!" he trailed off as thoughts as to the scale of that task became a daunting prospect in front of him.

"I'm sure Chrom will be able to help with that as well," she interjected. She was right, Robin conceded, Chrom had planned a royal wedding and assisted in the arranging of those for several more of his friends in the Shepherds.

"Well that just gives us even more reason to go and see him now to sort all of these things out," Robin concluded, with a smile towards the twirling figure in front of him. Wait, twirling? Olivia had started dancing without him noticing, a slow twirling dance, as she smiled at the world, unbelievably happy, for the first time in what felt like forever. Seeing that Robin had noticed her, she stopped, and turned to face him.

"When did you say Chrom needed to see us?" she asked innocently. Robin answered genuinely, oblivious to the look on Olivia's face.

"Oh, no particular time, just once we were ready for the day."

"Good," stated Olivia, as she began to slowly step towards him, each motion deliberate and precise. Robin, noticing the look in her eyes, began to back away slowly.

"Umm, Olivia, you know when I said no particular time, I meant soon. That's right!" Ignoring this protest, Olivia kept slowly moving towards Robin, raising her arms above her head, and slowly lowering them, letting her top fall away with them. Robin was left speechless, enraptured by the gentle sway of her breasts as he slowly made her way over to him. As she reached him, she stood on her toes to nibble on his earlobe, her chest pressed against his. Her fingers slid underneath his shirt, and her fingernails raked down his chest. Robin shivered as Olivia whispered into his ear softly.

"I'm not finished with you yet…"

* * *

 **A/N- Let's give them some privacy shall we! This was a fun chapter to write, serving mostly as a transparent excuse to catch you up to where characters are currently so it makes more sense when they start moving around in future chapters. Also, Virion getting married to Say'ri! I never like that her options her limited in the game to M!MU, so I thought having these two pair up would be interesting, although they won't occupy much of a roll in the story.**

 **And what's going on with Priam and Anna, I wonder? I suppose we'll find out soon…**

 **Anyway, hopefully you're enjoying my interpretation of Olivia's character. I see her as more confident than her in-game self, but with some underlying insecurities. The M rating was justified I think this chapter, lots of innuendoes, subtle and not. A genuine question for you guys and girls, would you like to see this story contain a lemon? I'm fairly confident I could pull one off, I'm just unsure whether that's something you'd all like.**

 **Also, a special thank you to Kickthecommie, who informed me that the line breaks I had put in on Word weren't transferring to site, and helped me remedy the problem. It's feedback from people like you that I really appreciate to help me keep improving the story as a whole.**

 **Anyway, until next time!**

 **S.**


	5. Chapter 5: Search

**Chapter Five: Search**

The city of Ylisstol was rousing its drowsy head from the stupor of a celebratory night. Despite being mid-morning, on a fine day that would normally have the citizens out and activity buzzing in the streets, the city's mood was akin to that of the citizens that made it up, many of whom were yet to rise from their post-revelry sleep. A few merchant carts were out, but even they, who would so often be loudly hawking their wares, were content to sit on the ground next to their carts, a number even dozing off again.

The streets weren't devoid of activity however. Some people, especially those with year-round jobs, had forced themselves out of the comfort of their beds and were now making their way quietly and bleary-eyed through the streets to their employment. An exception to the otherwise subdued mood of the city were its children. With the adults for the most part out of commission, gaggles of juveniles raced through the streets. Some kicked balls, others simply chased each other around, whooping and yelling, calling out to a world that was without the adults that drove it.

This sort of situation was uncommon in Ylisstol, it was not often that the entire city worked itself into a drunken revel in the manner it had the previous night, so the children weren't about to miss out on this opportunity. This seemed to be an indication of the power of Chrom's speech the previous day, his uncomfortable improvisational effort managing to sum up the feeling of the city and encourage them to celebrate the lives of those who had perished, but also the lives of those who remained, and to attempt to heal and move forward as a nation. All in all, it was a pretty good effort from someone who vocally advocated against speaking in public.

Joining the children in their frantic rush through the city were a certain tactician and dancer. Their faces flushed from exertion, they were running uphill towards the palace. The dancer kept having to stop for the cloaked tactician, whose heavy garb may not have ben optimal for the sunny day it was turning out to be, and who seemed to be feeling the strain of the exercise far more so than his companion.

"Come on Robin! We haven't got all day!" Olivia called out over her shoulder in a sing-song voice. She wore a grin that would have been uncharacteristic to those that knew her, evidently taking some small amount of joy in the heavy breaths and red face of her fiancé. The years of dancing and fighting had kept her lithe and fit, though she could hardly have gained any excess weight on the meagre diet she had been subjecting herself to.

"It's your fault we're running late to being with!" Robin called out from behind her, staggering to a halt up against a wall while he caught his breath. While he had maintained a degree of fitness during his time with the Shepherds, his role had been more focused to supporting Chrom with magic while they fought in tandem. Thus, his physical strength was a bit lacking, and he had just spent two years doing who knows what in some void. This resulted in his struggling to keep up with the dancer, much to his chagrin and her delight.

"As I recall, you were an equal participant," she smirked back at him. "And you could have chosen not to wear that cloak of yours, it's probably slowing you down a fair bit." Robin looked nonplussed at those statements.

"Well, firstly, this cloak is an important part of my image! How will anyone recognise me if I don't wear it? Secondly, I don't really have an any other clothes, and…" he lifted his cloak to look at the dishevelled clothes he had eaten in, slept in and worn for almost two days now, "…these aren't exactly presentable. And it was hardly MY fault we got distracted, that was up to you and your far too easy to remove outfit! To blame me for that is totally unfair!"

"Robin, dear, as I believe the expression goes, life is not fair," Olivia smiled up at him again, winking as he rolled his eyes.

"I should never have said that," he replied ruefully, regretting the many occasions he had teased her with that very phrase. It had become a bit of a catchphrase within their relationship, either of them ready to pull it out the moment the other mentioned that anything wasn't just.

"So, anyway, how do you know that Chrom wants to see you? I bet he didn't mention it yesterday when he picked you up, he doesn't have the presence of mind for that," Olivia narrowed her eyes at Robin, pointedly directing her inquiry at him. Robin was yet to tell her of how Gaius had visited her apartment this morning, and his cagey responses when questioned about this matter indicated to the woman who knew him better than anyone else, that he was not being entirely honest with her.

"Ummm, I just assumed?" he replied, a guilty expression fleeting across his face.

"Robin, you know you can't lie to me, you're terrible at it. Funny that, I would've thought that the best tactical mind the world's ever seen," she teased him at the rumours of his prowess that had circulated the country during their campaigns, "would be a skilled master of deceit. But besides the fact that your lies stand out like a sore thumb, if you 'just assumed' Chrom would want to see you, there's no reason to rush like a horse with a bee sting on its hoof. So, I'll ask you again, and this time you're going to tell me the truth, how do you know Chrom wants to see us?"

Robin winced. That was the sort of verbal lashing that he used to get from Olivia before he disappeared if he did something wrong. It was funny, he reflected, how the most shy and seemingly demure of the Shepherds, was the one with the sharpest tongue, especially when it came to scolding him.

"Okay, okay," he conceded. "You are aware that your apartment door, doesn't exactly have a lock?" Now it was Olivia's turn to roll her eyes. Of course she was aware of it, she had been intending to get it fixed, but hadn't been able to find the time, so had been settling for dragging the desk across the door at night, to prevent it from being opened. "Well, when I woke up," Robin continued unabated, "Gaius was sitting at your desk waiting for me. He got me up to speed on where the Shepherds are now, and also told me that Chrom wanted to see me as soon as we woke up this morning. If I had to guess, after seeing that I was awake, he went to visit Chrom in a similar fashion to inform him that he had delivered the message, then scampered home before his wife got upset."

Olivia sighed, she should have expected as much. Ruminating on the issue of the accessibility of her apartment, she conceded that having a lock wouldn't have stopped Gaius anyway, and thus she couldn't muster the energy to get upset about it. Though, she thought, it might be worth looking into getting a bigger apartment now that Robin was back, after all, she did have two kids that she'd be having at some point in the future. That thought caused Olivia to smile to herself, the prospect of babies filling her with excitement.

Meanwhile, Robin was watching his fiancé's expression morph through a range of annoyance, excitement, and resignedness, and entirely confused at the process. Perhaps as a result of not being used to conversing as much as she was the past day, Olivia had seemingly dropped out of their conversation and into her own thoughts, leaving Robin confused as to whether she was happy with him or not. He decided to interject into her internal stream of consciousness.

"Umm, Robin to Olivia, come in Olivia; Olivia, do you hear me?" Olivia jumped in reply, startled, unused to being interrupted in the middle of her thoughts. Now it was her turn to blush.

"Sorry, got a little carried away there. This whole having someone to talk to thing is going to take some getting used to."

"That's alright," Robin smiled, rubbing her on the top of the head, "now why don't we keep going to the castle, I'm sure Chrom is probably waiting for us." With that, the pair continued on their way, albeit slower now, and hand-in-hand.

* * *

The structure of the city was one based in its origins. When Ylisstol had been founded, it was still very much under threat of invasion from the neighbouring nations. As such, the capital had been founded on a large hill, with the castle keep placed directly on the top. The rest of the buildings surrounded the castle on all sides, and made their way down the hill to where the walls had been built in order to protect the inhabitants of the city. Since the time of its construction, however, the capital had ballooned outwards in growth, and as such, new areas were constantly being added to accommodate the influx of people.

Many people from the countryside had fled to Ylisstol during the numerous wars of the past few years, and decided to take up residence there. Furthermore, refugees from other nations or even as far as Valm, were settling down in the capital far more freely. And as a result of the now two-year peace, Ylisse was experiencing a rapid growth in population, with the new babies of the Shepherds only symptomatic of the larger number of infants to be found throughout the city.

All in all, there were currently three walls around the city of Ylisse. The first was the largest, built around the castle keep, including the barracks for the Royal Guard and the castle itself, with substantial grounds allotted for the inhabitants. The second was around the original, older city, patrolled by a few guards, but not heavily reinforced, with movement allowed freely, although, not many people tended to travel into the older city unless they were financially well off, the older areas tending to be far more expensive to live in.

The third and final wall encompassed a large amount of the lower city. Built during the reign of Exalt Calhoun, this wall was to satisfy his paranoia as to the danger Ylisstol was in. This wall was no longer manned, and people could freely walk along it, although there were guards that would be able to man this wall should the need arise. However, the city had now expanded beyond the third wall, following the conclusion of the wars, with the influx of population resulting in tents being set up, then more permanent infrastructure, subsidised by the Crown. The idea of a fourth wall being constructed had been raised at Council meetings, though Chrom had shot them down, stating that instead of focusing on defending itself, Ylisse should be focusing on healing, and moving forward with constructive projects to benefit the citizens, not just hem them in.

It was the first of these walls, that one surrounding the castle keep, that Robin and Olivia now approached. Access was strictly controlled, an unavoidable consequence of the attempt on Emmeryn's life previously. What this meant is that only those with proper reason were able to access the castle, something that Chrom lamented, as he wanted his citizens to feel welcomed. However, this strict access did pose somewhat of a problem for Robin and Olivia, who had no way to get in.

They couldn't exactly say that they were former members of the Shepherds, after all, one of them was meant to be dead, and the other didn't have her characteristic pink hair, and had disappeared from the face of the earth in minds of many within Ylisse. This left the pair at an impasse, they could hardly expect the guards to let in just anyone, especially two grimy individuals claiming to be two people presumed dead or missing, nor would Robin have wanted that to be the case. After consulting with each other, they decided that the proper course of action would be to approach the guards and see whether they had received any special instructions.

Walking up to one of the guards on the main gate, Robin began.

"Excuse me. The two of us are here to see the Exalt." The guard looked them up and down, through his visor, and couldn't help but burst out into a fit of laughter.

"The two of you? See the Exalt? I don't think so! What business do you have being here?" Robin was nonplussed, though not surprised.

"Chrom himself requested our presence, and that we come visit him this morning," Robin replied, attempting to exude confidence.

"Suuuure he did," the guard responded, "and I'm the princess' husband!" he snickered to himself.

"You might have had special instructions to let us in?" Robin pressed on, hoping to gain some ground. Meanwhile, Olivia had shrunk down to seemingly half her size, and was pressed up against his side, as if attempting to disappear into the folds of his cloak.

"The Exalt doesn't give us instructions," the guard continued in his mirth, "all our orders come down from the Great Knight Frederick." Robin sighed to himself. It was so like Chrom to request their presence then completely forget to put into place any of the protocols that allowed them to enter.

"If you've got no reason to be here, then get on your way!" the guard ordered, "We don't like people hanging around here." Robin could see that this was getting nowhere, and that they wouldn't be able to get in through this door. Thanking the guard politely, receiving no more than harsh laughter in return, Robin turned away, leading Olivia off to the side of the wall out of sight.

"What do we do now?" Olivia asked, worriedly, her hands scrunching and releasing the ribbons that flowed down her arms.

"Don't worry," Robin assured her, "a tactician always has a plan…"

* * *

In the barracks, a guard had just changed shifts. The guards would stand, well on guard, for periods of about four hours each, or in the case, from dawn until mid-morning. Walking through the barracks for the Royal Guards, the most elite of the city's defence force, the guard reflected on a funny encounter he'd had that morning. Two people, looking like they'd just woken up, and run through a rainstorm, claiming that they had been summoned by the Exalt himself! It was that sort of entertainment that made this job worthwhile, in addition to the food, accommodation and relatively good pay.

The guard couldn't help chuckling to himself as he replayed the conversation in his head, absentmindedly heading towards the kitchen to grab a snack after a long and boring morning, not improved by the slight hangover he was nursing from the previous night. The chuckle he let out didn't escape the notice of the Commander of the Royal Guards, and Frederick pulled him up on it.

"What are you laughing about, Jenkins?" the Great Knight sternly asked.

"Oh, sorry sir. Just a funny thing from my shift this morning. Two people claiming that the Exalt himself had summoned them! You should have seen them sir, it was one of the worst I've ever seen!" A feeling of dread began to rise in Frederick's gut.

"And these two, what did they look like?" he questioned, keeping his tone deliberately light.

"Oh, there was a man and a woman, the woman was bedraggled and had grimy brown hair, and was wearing some sort of exotic dancer's costume, she was probably some cheap skank. And the guy had white hair, and was wearing some sort of black cloak with these purple inscriptions all over it. Seriously, these two would've fit in with a circus troupe! Oh it was great, made my morning…" the guard realised he was no longer talking to anyone, Frederick had hurried off down the corridor, his armour clanking as he ran.

"Crap," Frederick muttered to himself as he ran breathlessly through the castle.

The guard shrugged to himself, and continued on his way. Their commander was an odd one, but he was peerless with a sword, axe or lance, and a great leader. Every man had his mysteries he supposed. And with that, Jenkins continued on his way to get breakfast, still lightly chuckling to himself.

* * *

"Where did you say this hole was?" Olivia asked, suspicious of her husband as he rooted around at the base of the wall. On one side of the castle wall, there was a large public park, where citizens could take a walk, or just enjoy spending some time outdoors. The groundsmen of the castle were responsible for maintaining the garden as well, so it was always in perfect condition. Not that Robin or Olivia would be able to tell, because they were currently enmeshed in a series of bushes, right at the back of the park, up against the wall itself.

"I swear these bushes are going to scratch me or tear my clothes, and if they do, I'm holding you responsible!" Olivia grumbled.

"Oh yeah?" Robin teased. "What are you going to do about it?"

"Robin. It takes two to tango…" Robin, realising the implications of that statement, wisely bit back his follow up, turning back to the wall.

"I remember Chrom telling me about how he once managed to smash a hole in the castle walls while training, and then when future Lucina turned up on the night of the assassination attempt, she said that she came through the same wall. I calculated that the training grounds are on the other side of the wall about here, and this patch of bushes is the only place that an unrepaired hole could exist without anybody noticing. And knowing Chrom, he hasn't repaired it because he probably wants a way to sneak in and out of the castle when he wants, under the pretence of training."

"His wife wouldn't be very happy about that," Olivia though aloud.

"Oh, she'd be even less happy if she found out that Lucina knew and that Chrom had taught Cynthia. And will probably teach their younger counterparts soon."

"Ever the responsible father," Olivia replied wryly.

"Ah! Here it is!" Robin's foot pushed through a series of wooden planks loosely boarded up over the hole in the wall. It wasn't exactly spacious, but it was large enough for each of them to crawl through on hands and knees. "Ladies first!" Robin offered to his companion.

"Thank you, such a gentleman," Olivia replied with a mock posh accent, seemingly attempting to emulate Maribelle or someone of her ilk. She crouched down and began making her way through the hole. Robin crouched down and began to follow her. It was at this point that, even amongst the gloom of the rather small hole, it became rather apparent to Robin that Olivia had chosen to forego a particular piece of clothing today.

Admiring the way her hips swung back and forth as she crawled in front of him, Robin almost didn't realise when Olivia reached the other end of the hole, blindly bashing into her leg with his head as she stood up on the other side of the wall, looking up as he began to get up, Robin caught another view, and when Olivia turned around to look at him, she found him flushed once again and looking down at his feet.

"What?" she asked him. "It's more comfortable." Robin just shook his head, not knowing what to say. Olivia had become rather good at leaving him speechless, rather an unusual occasion for the normally verbose and wordy tactician.

"Anyway," Robin began, attempting to redirect the topic of conversation towards their situation, "we need to find Chrom, and we need to do it before anyone else finds us. Especially the Royal Guards." Olivia nodded in agreement, and the two of them moved towards the entrance to the castle on the far side of the training grounds that they now found themselves in. The door creaked open with a startling amount of noise, and with that, the two were inside. Robin looked around, unsure of where they were, the castle unfamiliar due to his rather protracted absence from being in it.

They began to traverse the quiet halls. Presumably many of the staff and officials were still recovering from the previous night, because they were desolate. Once they had to hide in an alcove as a group of maids went past, but they went unobserved. They were searching for Chrom, but since Robin had absolutely no idea where to find him, it became more of a game of wandering through the extensive networks of passages and stairways that made up the royal palace, in an attempt to locate a member of the royal family that knew them.

The two had been skulking around, Robin attempting to recall his memories of the layout of the palace, for about half an hour when suddenly Olivia pulled Robin into the shadows of a pillar, wrapping his cloak over them to keep them as dark as possible. Her hand covered his mouth that was opening in protest, and a couple of seconds later he heard the reason for her secretive actions. Two sets of footsteps padded along the hallway they were in, accompanied by furtive voices. One eye able to see out through a gap in his cloak, Robin was able to make out two individuals dressed in quite significant finery, evidently high-ranking nobles of some description. Their manner of dress was rather conspicuous, though their conversation was furtive and hushed. Robin was only able to make out sounds, though Olivia's superior hearing enabled her to pick up more of what they were saying. The two castle crashers waited, hunched in silence for a painstakingly slow few minutes while the nobles passed them, before relaxing, Robin letting out a breath he hadn't even realised he was holding.

"What was that all about?" he turned to Olivia. She was white as a sheet. "Olivia? What is it?"

"Well, I couldn't hear all of what they were saying, but I heard that an 'invasion' is 'almost complete', and something about being 'ready' and…"

"Okay, okay. No need to get worried, I'm sure that with the proper context it would all make a lot more sense. We can worry about that later, for the moment, we need to find Chrom." Olivia nodded in agreement.

"Are you looking for my daddy?" a small voice interjected. Robin and Olivia both jumper out of their skins, whirling around to see a young girl with blue hair, dressed in light blue pyjamas with the seal of the Exalt emblazoned on the front of them, blearily rubbing her eyes and holding a tiny wooden sword in her hand. Robin recovered quickly, realising who this girl was.

"Hello Lucina, yes we're looking for your father, do you think you could take us to him?" The girl looked at them suspiciously.

"Who are you?" she questioned. "You're dirty," she announced with all the delicacy of a five-year old.

"You might not remember us, but we've known you since you were born," Robin explained. "My name is Robin, I used to work together with your father, and this is Olivia, who used to fight together with us."

"You're Uncle Robin and Aunty 'Livia?" the girl raised one eyebrow sceptically. "But Aunty 'Livia has pink hair!" she declared triumphantly, thinking she had outwitted the two strangers in front of her.

"How about you just take us to your father and he can sort it all out?" Robin suggested gently, noticing Olivia absentmindedly touching her hair.

"Only if you promise to help me with my fighting!" the young girl countered, raising her wooden sword in front of her. Robin fought to bite back a chuckle, the young princess was evidently equally as spirited as her future counterpart.

"I'm happy to do that, but only if your father agrees," Robin replied.

"That's what Uncle Lon said too…" the girl stated, looking dejectedly at the floor. "Fine! I was going to have breakfast, so you can come too! Daddy is probably there, and so is Mummy and my sisters." And with that, the young girl reached out and took Robin's hand in her own, the other hand clutching her sword protectively to her chest, and began walking off, Robin, staggering to catch up. Olivia grabbed his other arm possessively, and the odd trio moved off, presumably towards the dining area, in search of the rest of the exalted family.

The young princess evidently knew where she was going, as she confidently led them through the maze of passageways that made up the Royal Palace, surprisingly agile despite her short stature. Up two flights of stairs and the route they were taking began to feel a little more familiar to Robin, and sure enough they came to a familiar set of red doors, handles high enough that Lucina could only reach them by standing on her toes and stretching her arms out above her head, which she proceeded to do, pushing the doors open without any great ceremony.

She walked in, leading her two compatriots, to the dining room of the royal family, the large table adorned with meats, fruits and breads; basically every type of breakfast food that one could imagine. Sitting around the table was Chrom, Sumia, who was attempting to get the young Cynthia to eat, Lissa and Lon'qu, Lissa looking very pregnant, aided by the future Owain, and the two sisters, the elder Cynthia and Lucina, all of whom were tucking into what was at this point a relatively late breakfast. All of them looked up when the doors open, and they froze when they saw a rather sheepish Robin and an Olivia shrinking into his shadow accompanying the younger Lucina. Not one for formality, the young princess declared-

"I found Uncle Robin and Aunty 'Livia and they came to breakfast and Uncle Robin says he'll teach me to swordfight like you daddy and they wanted to see you and I'm not sure they're really Uncle Robin and Aunty 'Livia because Aunty 'Livia has pink hair and she doesn't, but I think it's just because they need a bath." At this, she moved to her seat and began to tuck into copious amounts of bread. In response, Chrom lost the mouthful of food he had been eating in a snort, while Sumia, the more even-minded of the two, politely invited the two guests to join them for breakfast.

* * *

Frederick raced through the halls of the castle, desperately trying to find Chrom. His dull-headed guard had turned away one of the most important people in the halidom and his wife-to-be, and if now they would have no way to come and visit Chrom, which he assumed the Exalt had desired. Though, this might all have been avoided if Chrom had thought to inform Frederick that this was what he was going to do, but knowing the Exalt, he had probably forgotten.

And now it would fall to Frederick to pick up the pieces of this mess and ensure that the desired guests were found and allowed in this time. Perhaps it would be possible to set up some kind of appointment-based system, he mused as he hurried his way to his next port of call, the dining hall. Naga! His wife would laugh at him for this, and he would need to change during the day due to the sweat that he'd worked up. What ever happened to head of the Royal Guards being a cushy job? Surely on the day after a festival one relaxing day could be afforded?

Running up to the doors of the room in front of him, he burst through the doors in a clatter of armour and panting of lungs, unaware as every head looked up from their breakfast for the second time that morning.

"My Lord! I'm sorry, but one of my guards turned away Robin and Olivia, whom I understand you invited to be here as guests. Please accept my apologies and rest assured the Guards will be sent to look for them promptly and I'm sure that…" Frederick's tirade came to a halt as he realised that Robin and Olivia were sitting at the table, eating breakfast with everyone else. Seeing this, he sat down on the ground in the doorway, his head in his hands.

"Would you like some breakfast, Frederick?" Chrom politely asked, biting back another laugh, as the sheer absurdity of what was meant to be a simple morning dawned on those in the room.

* * *

Frederick politely declined the breakfast offer, deciding instead to go and rest his head and attempt to prevent himself having a heart attack. The future children all made their ways back to the barracks to set about the daily jobs of being Shepherds. Meanwhile, Sumia and Lissa bundled off the younger children to have their baths, and with some small amount of persuasion from Robin, Olivia went too, though she didn't exactly look comfortable about it. Chrom invited Robin to come for a walk with him.

As they were walking through the halls on a path that Chrom only knew, the Exalt turned to look at Robin. Taking note of his scrunched up clothes and the marks all over his neck, and thus presumably the rest of his body, the Exalt smiled slyly at his friend.

"Big night, eh?" he nudged Robin in the side. "I'm impressed you managed to have so much of an effect on her in such a short time, she looks like a different person!"

"Yeah," Robin replied, "she's certainly grown since I last saw her…"

"Hahaha!" Chrom laughed at his friend's seeming bemusement. "She looks more confident when she's around you, but when you're not within arm's reach, she seems to go back to the same old timid Olivia." Robin nodded in agreement, he'd noticed that the instant there were other people around, the confident Olivia that he was getting used to slowly disappeared, and she closed herself off completely.

"Her hair's brown too," Robin added. "Though I think the bath should solve that, because her hair isn't naturally brown."

"How do you know?" Chrom asked. "Maybe she just dyed it pink?"

"Ahhhh, no, it's definitely naturally pink," Robin affirmed. Now it was Chrom's turn to blush as the implication of his friend's words sunk in. "Oh well," Robin continued, "hopefully Sumia will get her to come out of her shell a bit with a bath."

"You're going to need to have a bath too," Chrom retorted playfully. "But first, come with me, I've got something to show you…"

* * *

 **A/N- Goddamnit Jenkins! Hi guys, hope you're all well! I know I'm probably going to say this a lot, but this was so much fun to write this chapter. It had a much lighter feel to it than the previous ones, and it was fun to do little interludes with Frederick and have little appearances from Lucina Junior. Hopefully by now you can where my character of Olivia is going, and the manner in which she'll behave. I must admit, the more I write of her, the more I'm enjoying the complex character she's turning out to be. I've got a lot of reviews since last time, so I'll respond to a few of them here!**

 **RedNephilim- I absolutely love the idea of having some angst, and don't worry, there will be some! Probably not from Olivia, she's just so happy to have Robin back, but there are two children from Lucina's merry little band of psychological disorders who might not adjust all that well to having their father back in their lives…**

 **She Who is Woe- Thanks for the positive feedback, the dark and light tone will be played out throughout, and it will be all about trying to find a balance, a bit like the game itself, I suppose.**

 **Shipmeister's Humouresque- I'm so glad that you're enjoying my characterisation of Olivia. I think that's probably the most different part of the story, and the bit I was most nervous about doing, but I'm glad to hear that you're enjoying it. I like the way you mentioned how a lemon can be used to emphasise emotional connection, and I'm leaning towards doing one now because of that, thanks for the advice.**

 **Csihawk- Thanks for the review and I hope you enjoy the rest of what's there. I suppose Robin losing his temper was more to do with the fact that he felt pretty good and nobody was giving him any straight answers, and he was frustrated, so lashed out. Don't forget too, that he didn't actually have Thoron at that stage, so it was only an empty threat in an attempt to get answers, and it worked! Inigo came along!**

 **Thanks to all of you who've read and reviewed. At the point of writing this, this story has 14 reviews, 17 favourites, 28 followers and over 2500 views! This is massive! SO much more than I ever thought was possible, so thank you all for your support.**

 **Until next time!**

 **S.**


	6. Chapter 6: Heated

**Chapter Six: Heated**

"…Chrom, where are we?"

Robin was perplexed. He didn't know where Chrom was taking him, and had even less of an idea as they began to venture into an area of the palace that he didn't know at all. Of even greater concern to the embattled tactician was the increasing number of what looked high-powered individuals, dressed in all the finery of the Ylissean Court, often accompanied by several retainers, fanning their charges with long sticks with cloth woven at the end. It wasn't unduly hot, indeed, it was quite cool within the palace walls, though many of the well-dressed individuals looked rather exerted, perhaps due either to their closeted nature, or perhaps their obesity.

One particularly dressed up individual was carried past in a sedan chair, four attendants struggling to keep his heft aloft. He was shouting and screeching at them, demanding that they go faster, then slower, all seemingly in a bid to assert his authority. He had the appearance of an overgrown slug, his gut spilling out of the clothes that did very little to disguise his declining health. White powder was layered on his face, and rosy cheeks had been coloured on with some form of makeup, creating quite the striking image, yet Robin could not help but feel repulsed by the man.

"That's Lord Riegel," Chrom whispered in Robin's ear, the sneer on his face more than apparent in his tone as well. "He was appointed to a role of reasonable importance under my father's reign, and I haven't had cause to strip him of it yet, though he disgusts me as an individual." Robin nodded in agreement.

"No person should be able to exert that degree of authority over another, it is quite simply unacceptable," Robin seconded, his face crestfallen as the man began beating his retainers with a long pole. "Surely that is against some law or another?"

"Well, ostensibly it is. But I've little ability to control the man; the courts are in his pocket, so to speak, and he refuses to acknowledge me as the ruler of the halidom, so it becomes a difficult matter to have any influence over him at all. This is far from the first time either…" Robin felt a feeling he hadn't experienced since he had returned, anger, and then and there he swore that he would do everything within his power, well he didn't really have any, but nonetheless, to put this man on trial and have him pay for his crimes.

"But don't worry about him now," Chrom interrupted Robin's stream of consciousness. "Let's get you ready to go." Following this, Chrom made for a side passage that hadn't been visible to Robin previously, leading him up a narrow flight of stairs into a room that could well have been mistaken for Chrom's tent while they were fighting. Robin was confused by this turn of affairs.

"Isn't your room somewhere on the opposite side of the castle?" he enquired. Chrom looked sheepish in response.

"Well, yeah, but I had to put all my stuff from when we were travelling around somewhere, and it gives me a place to come so I can concentrate, and get away from the pressure of being ruler for a bit. It's a bit tiring every now and then, so it's good to have a place to escape to, where I don't have to be the ruler, I can just be me." Robin looked around the small, circular room, and a few items caught his eye. First and foremost was a trophy cabinet of sorts, displaying various items they had won in the war. The Amatsu of Yen'fay, the Wolf Berg of Walhart and the Levin Sword of Gangrel were placed in positions of key prominence. In response to the presence of the like sword the lightning sword at Robin's hip began vibrating unpleasantly, almost expressing its dislike of the sword. A thought directed its way quieted it down, though Robin could sense the tension in the air.

Continuing his observation of the room, Robin noticed that the centre of the room was swept entirely clean of the clutter that dominated the rest of the surfaces. Instead, a blue carpet, emblazoned with the symbol of the Exalt was laid out. On the edge of the carpet lay a familiar looking wooden sword, almost as if it was the pair of another. Robin raised an eyebrow at Chrom, who looked down at his feet, affirming Robin's suspicions.

"What?" Chrom protested. "Being me means being the father who can teach his daughter to fight, not the Exalt who should probably be encouraging his daughter to become ladylike and all that." Robin though back to the possessive way in which the young princess gripped onto her sword, looking natural in her hand.

"Doesn't take after her father at all, then," Robin commented wryly, smiling at his long-time friend. "Does your wife know about this?" he asked lightly. Chrom stood a little taller at the question.

"Of course not! I've been very good at keeping it a secret, and Lucina's sworn to secrecy. I'm not sure she'd be entirely happy with me teaching her how to fight, she thinks the sword that goes everywhere isn't being used…" Robin shook his head in mild despair. His friend was no doubt a fantastic ruler of the halidom, but he wasn't exactly good at keeping secrets, or stealthy. To start off with, his habit of sleep talking was a little inconvenient for a ruler that had to keep secrets, and his last attempt at stealth had resulted in the entire kitchen tent collapsing on itself, with him still inside. However, this was not a conversation that Robin needed to start now. Instead, garnering some more information would seem to be the best option.

"Umm, Chrom? Lovely as it is to spend time with you, why are we here?" Chrom smiled in a manner that had Robin worried.

"Well, you see, you've taken on a bit of a legendary status since your death. Everyone knows of the brilliant tactician of the Shepherds, who gave his life to save the world. But this is also problematic, as it means we need to officially announce that rumours of your demise were seemingly overrated. What better way to disseminate information than from the top down?" Robin seemed to understand where this was going, based on the way in which he was slowly backing towards the door. Chrom saw his plan though, and countered it with words.

"Don't worry! I know you don't like meetings, but this is just with a council of lords and ladies of the realm, not very many people, and it shouldn't go for too long. We just need to tell them all that you're back, and the information will spread of its own accord. This is far easier than getting up on the walls and announcing it, no?" Robin could see his point. Being in a meeting with a few people would be far easier for all involved. But why this room then…

"This room," Chrom continued, anticipating Robin's question, "is my preparation room, where I get ready for the meetings." He walked over to Robin and began straightening out his crumpled clothes. He ran a brush through his hair a few times and looked at him with his head tilted slightly to the side.

"That's acceptable. I've never been a stickler for ceremony, so your appearance doesn't really matter, though mine does. You're still getting a bath after this by the way. Now come over here and give me a hand with this wretched thing," Chrom said, motioning to the circlet that he was required to wear in official meetings as the Exalt. It was the same one that his sister had worn. Normally every Exalt would have a new one created, though in the case of Chrom, he decided that he should continue his sister's legacy, and also wear her crown. In addition, considering the traumatic manner of her death, it provided some continuity to the Ylissean citizens.

Robin attempted to assist Chrom, though in a stereotypical manner when the two of them attempted something involving clothes, it went horribly wrong, and after fifteen minutes of disentangling Chrom's hair from the ornamental piece, they were ready to go. Robin felt self-conscious in his simple coat and trousers, it wasn't exactly the right attire to make a good impression, though when he raised these concerns with Chrom, they were dismissed out of hand. Finally, they turned to the door opposite to the one they had entered through, Chrom taking a deep breath before pushing it open, and descending another narrow staircase, coming back out in a different hallway, in front of a door manned by Frederick himself.

The long-suffering knight gave a somewhat forced smile upon seeing Robin, who only cheerfully waved at the man, Chrom shaking his head reproachfully. After busying himself with straightening Chrom's attire and looking at Robin's manner of dress once, before giving up on it entirely, Frederick opened the double doors behind him, and the two companions walked through, into the room that lay beyond.

* * *

Olivia glowered. It was just like Robin to come back, make her feel whole again, then go running off with Chrom for something or other, leaving her in an uncomfortable situation in which she had no idea how to act. Following their rather noisy and exciting breakfast, in which Olivia had muttered maybe ten words, she had been left with Sumia and Lissa, and told that she was going to have a bath. Not only that, but she was going to be accompanied by most of the Royal Family during the process, a prospect she hadn't exactly relished. Chrom had bustled Robin out the door, leaving him only the chance to wave a hurried goodbye before she was left again. Alone in a crowd.

She had assisted the other diners with cleaning up, much to their annoyance, insisting that she should not have to do any such activity. This frustrated Olivia, everyone kept treating her like she was a delicate flower who could break at any moment, though she could hardly blame them, she hadn't exactly done a whole heap to break that reputation over the past few years. The only one who treated her the same as always was Sumia, who was moving around at lightning pace, busying herself wherever she was needed, always with one arm occupied with the baby Cynthia.

Following their breakfast, they had begun making their way through the labyrinthine castle, which Olivia still knew next to nothing about in terms of where things were. She let herself be led by the young princess, who had taken a shine to her, clutching onto her hand in a manner similar to how she had done so to Robin previously. Her wooden sword still clenched in one hand, the child led her Aunty 'Livia at breakneck pace, Sumia calling out to her to slow down, as she walked alongside a waddling Lissa, whose pregnancy encumbered her to a great degree. She seemed to Olivia as if she was due any day now.

Olivia didn't really know what she was expecting out of the Royal Baths, though she could confidently, well at least as confidently as she could, assert that they were not like she expected. Upon entering the large room, the cool halls of the castle gave way to a steamy warmth, not unlike that of the Plegian deserts. Billows of steam floated out the door, and the complex was revealed, though through a thick soup of fog that made it rather difficult to distinguish more than bare features.

The room had a low ceiling, presumably to facilitate the heat it generated, and was panelled with wood on the floor. In the centre were a series of large pools, which appeared to be different temperatures to the dancer, if the differing levels of steam created were anything to go by. Olivia was dumfounded by the size of it, the room and the pools could comfortably have accommodated the entirety of the female Shepherds, with room to spare. Though, she rationalised, it was unsurprising really, considering that this was the castle of the kingdom.

Her dumfounded observing had allowed Sumia and Lissa to catch up to her. The door creaked open to permit their entry, Sumia holding it open for the larger princess to get in, the heat of the room immediately causing their skin to turn red. Olivia opened her mouth to praise Sumia for the baths, thinking it was not likely to be Chrom who maintained them, but was interrupted by a large splash. Turning around, she could make out the shape of a nude Lucina splashing around in the centre pool, swimming back and forth and generally having a wonderful time. Olivia flushed violently, embarrassed about seeing the young girl in such a compromising state. Sumia only chuckled.

"That one has all the confidence in the world. No need to worry about her!" Olivia only responded with a nod, still unsure as to how to speak to one of the rulers of the land, who was also a great friend of hers, an uncomfortable conundrum for someone struggling with social anxiety. Sumia noticed her plight, unsurprisingly, but ignored it, choosing instead to place Cynthia down on a bench on the edge of the room, before beginning to remove the youngest princess' clothes. Having completed this task, she began to undress herself, causing Olivia's blush to become even greater.

Noticing Olivia's discomfort, Lissa interjected, "we're all girls here, and you've not got anything we haven't seen before!" in her typical manner, not exactly befitting the princess of the realm. Lissa was already disrobing as well, and even through the steam, Olivia was able to make out her body features fairly easily. Her breasts hung, heavy with milk, and her stomach ballooned outwards, her navel poking out at the top. She'd always been a bit more heavyset that Olivia, with stockier legs and broader shoulders, and these were accentuated by the extra weight her body had put on as a result of her inability to move while pregnant.

Lissa slowly lowered herself into the pool, sitting on an underwater ledge that led to just her shoulders and neck being exposed above the water, the rest concealed. She let out a sigh, the comfort afforded by having the weight of the baby alleviated even somewhat providing a welcome change. Sumia had also removed her attire, and set about lowering herself into the water carefully, ensuring that Cynthia was also able to feel it against her skin. The baby splashed happily, letting out excited cackles.

Sumia's body was the antithesis to Lissa's, long and willowy. She was no longer breastfeeding Cynthia, the baby having been weaned onto solid food, and as a result, her figure had reverted back to that of the trained Pegasus Knight, complete with washboard abdominal muscles, strong thighs and biceps and musculature tracing over her entire body. She had returned to the saddle only a month or so ago, but the difference was noticeable. Her more…feminine features gave Olivia cause to start as well, as Chrom's physical attraction to her was easily explained by the well-rounded bosom and the rear end tight with muscle, the Queen of the realm cutting a stunning figure as she absentmindedly tickled the baby's feet.

Olivia quickly shed her layers of clothing, the steam made it hard enough to see that she felt confident that she could get into the water without being observed. Her dancing clothes fell away without effort, and her proclivity for avoiding undergarments assisted the brevity of the process. She reviewed her own figure in comparison to her companions' without thinking. A dancer's figure to be sure. Long legs, but thin, muscled without the bulk of a traditional fighter or rider. Her arms were very similar, long and thin, strong without any additional weight. The strength of her core, necessary to propel herself through more complex manoeuvres, was evidenced by her well-defined abs. Despite the relatively unfortunate circumstances in which she had lived, she had ensured to take care of her physical strength, the lack of meals in her existence not allowing any fat to develop.

The exception to the rest of her body was the result of her puberty, which had given her some lovely benefits, though unfortunate for a dancer. The process had resulted in a rather well-sculpted posterior that, despite her best efforts, refused to shrink in size, only leading to her movements and her legs being further accentuated. Her bosom had also borne inconveniences, with the size of it in excess of what would be considered average, especially for a dancer, which made procuring dancing outfits a time-consuming process. Though Robin had seemed to like them… Her thoughts drifted off as she lowered herself into the warm water, tension she didn't even know had existed melting away from her neck and her jaw. Lissa smirked at Olivia's obvious comfort.

"Told'ya you'd enjoy it!" she declared triumphantly, raising a fist in the air, before wincing and sitting back down again. "Owain! Stop kicking!" she growled at her stomach indignantly. Olivia couldn't help but let out a small laugh at that. All these people, she'd left them behind for over a year, and yet when she gets back, they're all the same, it was a relief, she supposed, yet at the same time, it was an indication of what she'd been missing, and that in and of itself was enough to remove the joyful expression from her face. But Sumia had noticed the bolt of happiness that had crossed the dancer's face, and despite not saying anything, it relieved her, informing her that Olivia was still there, that she hadn't gone completely. And now it was her turn to have some fun…

"Hey Olivia," Sumia smiled innocently, "how did you get those marks on your neck?" Sumia knew full well how, but it was fun to see the girl in front of her squirm. Expecting a nervous reaction, the Queen was a little surprised when a mischievous smile graced Olivia's face, albeit briefly. She responded quietly, yet audibly.

"Robin was happy to see me." Lissa snickered as Sumia's reasonably obvious plan fell through, Sumia herself unsure how to respond. She followed up with another attempt.

"Is that why you were late this morning? Robin was happy to see you?" Another smile went across Olivia's face, fleeting, like a summer shower.

"No. This morning I was happy to see Robin…" and with that, Olivia did something outrageous that Sumia nor Lissa would never have expected, not from the old Olivia they knew, she winked. Seeing the shocked faces of her two bathing companions spurred Olivia's confidence on. Even when she and Robin had been engaged during the wars, she had never talked about their private affairs, even when rather loud sounds were heard coming from their tent at night. Olivia continued, starting to get on a roll.

"I mean, after two years of nothing, a girl gets pretty desperate, right?" Sumia responded by pushing Lucina's head underwater, and Lissa's hand went to her mouth, this confidence was very unfamiliar in the dancer, evidently something had changed. But equally as quickly as it had appeared, this more confident side of their friend evaporated, the dancer shrinking back into her shell, literally in the case that her legs came up and her arms wrapped around them, but it was still clear to both Lissa and Sumia that Olivia was still the same person they once knew, yet at the same time, not, it would seem that two years can have a drastic effect on a personality.

* * *

To put it simply, Robin was not exactly pleased with Chrom. The Exalt had promised him a small meeting of a couple of lords and ladies, not a seat on an elevated stage above an arrangement of a couple of hundred seats. Decorum called for silence until Chrom spoke, but Robin was sure that if he glared hard enough at Chrom's back, the Exalt would notice. Chrom however, was facing out to the crowd, a distant smile on his face due to the fast one he had pulled on his tactician friend. Robin sat at the back of the stage, his cowl up over his head, at Chrom's recommendation, that way, he could be introduced when Chrom wanted.

The crowd were slowly filing in, supervised by some of the castle staff to assist the lords and ladies in reaching their allotted seats. Robin was able to spot the repulsive Lord Riegel at the front of the series of chairs, reclining and ordering about his assistants. Robin couldn't contain a sneer upon seeing him. But even as Robin was observing the large crowd of people gathered in the hall, Chrom was standing up from his seat and moving to the edge of the balcony in order to begin the meeting.

"Hello everyone, thank you all for coming. I'm sure you all have very…valid and reasonable complaints, I mean, points, to make, and I'll be very happy to hear them, but before I do, there's one matter of business we need to get to first." Robin took a deep breath, this was his moment.

"As I'm sure you're all aware, two years ago we lost a pillar of Ylissean society, a member of the Shepherds who was irreplaceable, and whose sacrifice for the entire world will never be forgotten. While we have continued on without him, the absence his loss placed in our city and country was very noticeable. So, and I'm not sure exactly how to say this, we can all rejoice, because he has returned to us! So, it gives me great pleasure to introduce to you, or I suppose reintroduce, Robin!"

The crowd went berserk. Robin stood up on cue and lowered his cowl, making it obvious that it was really him. Some of the crowd were very excited, cheering and whooping, while others were less enthused about the revelation. Overall though, a wave of noise swept through the crowd as the lords and ladies began talking among each other, debating how this was possible, whether this possible, what it meant for them and for their standing in the court. Chrom called out to try and get the crowd to be silent, so that he could continue the process, though his attempts met no response, the crowd was simply too riled up.

Robin decided to assist. He stood up on his seat, and drew his Levin Sword from his belt, raising it high above his head. A few of the nobles saw what he was doing and covered their ears, but many more were simply unaware, until a huge clap of thunder rolled across the room, followed by a massive bolt of lightning that crashed into the stone ceiling, momentarily illuminating the room in a bright white flash, dazzling the nobles, before it faded, leaving silence in its wake. Robin nodded deferentially to Chrom, and handed the stage back to him with an exaggerated gesture. Chrom, looking a little shaken, continued on.

"Right…thanks, Robin." The fizzling of electricity could still be felt in the air, as Robin sat down again with a smug expression on his face. "Anyway, as you can tell, Robin is back. We're not quite sure how he's got back, but he's been checked by the healers and he seems perfectly healthy, if a little undernourished. And as such, I'm now able to do something that I was going to do come the end of the war, but couldn't." Robin raised an eyebrow quizzically, this was not what Chrom had told him was going to happen.

"For his services during the various wars of the past five years, his good counsel and his ability to minimalize casualties to an unheard of low; for his valiant fighting during battle, for making the ultimate sacrifice, and for being a good friend and guide to me, I hereby appoint Robin the Grandmaster of the Ylissean forces, and special aide to the Exalt. I do so in the name of Naga."

Where the previous declaration had sent the room into a frenzy, this one was met with silence. The room was so quiet that one could almost hear the sound of Robin's jaw dropping. Grandmaster? Robin had read histories of Ylisse in a bid to be able to serve the country more effectively, and had read about this title. It was only handed out exceedingly rarely to people who had made outstanding contributions to the Ylissean army and assisted in extraordinary circumstances. Robin had found out that following the war, many of the Shepherds had been given titles, either as Knights, or Generals in the armed forces, or Imperial Magisters for the mages. Robin had expected something similar, but Grandmaster? The last person to be handed that title was over two hundred years ago, and that was posthumous!

A snorting laughter could be heard from the crowd, a sounds akin to that of a horse in pain. Lord Riegel was in conniptions on his chair, hysterically cracking up. He calmed himself to direct words towards Chrom.

"I don't think you've thought this through, boy," he said derisively. "What if this 'man' (said with a sneer) isn't who he says he is? What if he is some filthy foreign spy sent here to assassinate you or gather information? Making this move is playing straight into his hands." Chrom sighed, the man was repulsive, but he did have a point. Chrom was determined to parry this strike though.

"Don't worry, Lord Riegel, it may be something beyond your comprehension, but I am actually willing to trust people, and Robin has made it abundantly clear that he is who he says he is." Chrom's face paled as he recalled Robin's words upon reawakening. "Now, if there are no other objections?"

"Impudent! You would dare speak that way to your father-in-law?" Lord Riegel's many chin's quivered in anger. Robin almost laughed aloud, the man evidently wasn't used to being defied in any way, wait, what? Father-in-law? That man was Sumia's father? A glance at Chrom affirmed this horrible suspicion. Evidently, Chrom was at a loss with how to deal with this man. Robin was about to intervene once more with his magic, damn whose family this man belonged to, when motion from the back of the hall caught his attention. One man, a thin, tall, unassuming figure, deliberately stepped his way down to the front of the hall from where he had been leaning against a pillar in the back, a large musketeer hat perched on his head, his hair covering his left eye with silver locks.

Despite his silver hair, the man appeared young and spry, and the thin rapier at his belt indicated to Robin who this might be. Lord Elohim Eirika made his way down to the front of the room, the eyes of the nobles following him as he made his way deliberately to where Lord Riegel was lounging. Nobody dared interrupt his advance, he carried legendary status in Ylisse. Renowned as the best swordsman the world had ever seen, he rarely ventured beyond his cabin in the middle of the woods outside the city. After the death of Exalt Calhoun, Chrom had taken to running away from the castle, and one day ended up in the woods outside the city, in an altercation with a bear.

Elohim Eirika, named after his famous ancestor, intervened, saving the life of the young prince in the process. From that day forth, Chrom would visit Elohim frequently, seeing in him the father figure his own father had never been. Elohim was the man who had taught Chrom how to wield Falchion, and despite years of training and having fought in three wars, Chrom was still unable to defeat him in single combat. He had decided not to fight in the wars, but had promised Chrom that in the event of Ylisstol's attack, he would defend the city.

He had done so during the invasion of Ylisstol by Plegia, and had taken hundreds of Plegian lives. This action had made him well-known to the people of the city, and he had developed a reputation matching Robin's. Following the first war against Plegia, Chrom had made his substitute father a Lord, though not of any particular place, and Elohim had been attending these meetings every so often, and Chrom would often visit him to ask for advice. Little was known of his origins, save that he had the blood of heroes in him, though it seemed he took equally to Chrom as Chrom did to him. In this circumstance though, Lord Eirika had a dangerous glint in his eye as he sauntered up to Lord Riegel, looking down on him.

"As I recall," he began, his tone a lilting cadence, indicating that he was at some stage perhaps a singer, "the only reason you ended up with a daughter at all is because you managed to fall over and impregnate a serving maid somehow, and you were hardly ever a father to her. She even emancipated herself of all lands and titles from you when she was younger. The only reason you care about her now is because of who she married, and you don't even respect that man. You are a vile, disgusting excuse for a human being, and sitting here, insulting our Exalt is not exactly going to win you any friends.

"I personally believe Chrom," he continued, using the personal name he referred to the Exalt as, "what reason does he have to lie? He is the Exalt, and his judgment isn't crap. So, button it, sunshine, or," he motioned to the thin rapier at his hip, "I can button it for you…" Suffice to say that although Riegel shut up very quickly, there was never going to be a lot achieved after that. The meeting once more descended into chaos, as Elohim turned around, and with a tip of his cap to Chrom made to leave. Just before he reached the exit though, he turned, and whipped his arm forwards, casting a small glinting object high above the crowd, landing in Chrom's outstretched hand. Chrom nodded to the man, before turning to leave, motioning for Robin to accompany him.

Robin followed, stunned at the manner in which the meeting had degraded. Nobles were pulling each other's' hair and fancy clothes were being torn. Unfortunately, the palace staff simply observed passively, indicating that this was not a rare occurrence. Chrom had a smile on his face though, he seemed to have enjoyed the intervention by his mentor. Robin had only met the man once before, during the two year peace in which Lucina was born, when the man had come to witness Chrom and Sumia's wedding. Robin standing there as best man had piqued his curiosity, and the two of them had shared a long conversation. Robin wouldn't have minded sharing many more, the man was truly very interesting to talk to.

They exited the doors, Frederick shutting them behind the pair. Chrom turned to Robin and motioned for him to hold his hand out. He fitted a ring, simple and gold, but emblazoned with the seal of the Exalt, onto Robin's finger.

"This is the ring of the Grandmaster, held by the previous Grandmasters of Ylisse. It was lost for centuries, but I asked Elohim to find it for me before the war started against the Grimleal. Suffice to say he did, and it is proof of your position." Robin was stunned to say the least.

"Chrom, are you sure?"

"Certain. I was planning to do this for a while, and this was just the perfect opportunity. The advantage of being Exalt is that I can do what I want," he said, smirking. "And this is non-negotiable by the way. Now come with me, I have one more thing to show you, and I'll also explain what your position entails."

* * *

Olivia was feeling much more like herself. Sumia had handed her a brush, and she had managed to scrub herself down, removing layers of dirt that were caked into her pale skin. Sumia had also helped her to wash out her hair, the hardest task of all, working to untangle it, and clean it of all the muck that had accrued there over a few years of not having it washed. Finally, it was back to its gentle, wavy nature, and the light rose colour had returned to it. Sumia had put this special soap in her hair that had washed it clean, making it shiny and silky to the touch. Olivia was feeling much more comfortable in her own skin now.

Feeling a tap on her shoulder, she saw Sumia looming above her, wrapped in a towel and holding one out for her to grab. Olivia got up out of the pool and wrapped said towel around herself, using it to dry off her skin, paying extra attention to her hair. After assisting Lissa out of the pool as well, Sumia motioned for Olivia to follow her into a back room that the dancer had not previously noticed. In it was a padded table, with a hole at one end. Sumia motioned for Olivia to lie face down on the table, with her head in the hole. Olivia complied, finding it easier just to do what she was told. She arranged her towel so that it covered most of her back, while Sumia busied herself over at a cupboard nearby.

"Now," she said, startling Olivia slightly, "I could get a maid to do this, but I figured you'd be more comfortable having me do it for you?" Olivia nodded slightly, still unsure as to what was going on. Suddenly, Sumia lowered the towel down Olivia's back, exposing her bare spine to the warm air. A dribble of warm liquid pooled in the small of the dancer's back, before Sumia's hands began rubbing it in.

"This is an oil designed for massages," Sumia explained as she worked the oil into Olivia's skin. "It's meant to help your muscles relax and will help make your skin smooth and shiny. I've noticed that your more confident around Robin, and judging by the marks on your neck and your earlier comments, I'm guessing the two of you have done some…catching up. So what do you say we clean you up and make you as attractive and sexy as possible so that when he sees you, he can't help but pounce on you?"

Olivia grinned. Oh this sounded like a lot of fun! Besides, she couldn't really concentrate much, what, with the divine feeling of Sumia's hands rubbing the oil into her back. Olivia let out a long sigh and relaxed into the table, letting the Queen have free reign in her massaging. Sumia had always enjoyed giving massages, and judging by this one, she hadn't stopped after becoming a ruler. Olivia froze as Sumia's hands travelled further down, over her rear and down her legs, but the feeling of the warm oil was so nice that she couldn't help but accept it.

Olivia drifted off while Sumia massaged her, just floating, neither awake nor asleep, luxuriating in the feeling of being clean and happy, something not experienced for a long period of time. Distantly, she was aware of being told to roll over, and she did so without complaining, Sumia had already seen her naked anyway, and struggling wouldn't really help. Eventually, the massage was complete, the oil have sunken into Olivia's skin, leaving it shining and pleasant to the touch. Sumia had one more task to do before she was finished however.

Leaving Olivia lying down, the Queen moved to the cupboard, coming out with a tiny knife. Olivia panicked slightly, unsure what Sumia was planning to do, when the other woman began deftly shaving the hair off the dancer's legs. Olivia was grateful, it wasn't exactly seemly for a dancer to have hair on her legs, but she had never been able to shave them herself. Sumia performed the same treatment on her arms, and armpits, Olivia biting back a giggle at her ticklishness. Finally, Sumia looked questioningly at Olivia, and when the dancer reluctantly nodded, the woman set to work on the final area. When she was done, Olivia was hairless other than her head, and feeling much cleaner and happier.

Sumia brought in some clothes for Olivia, but the dancer questioned where her dancing outfit was. Being washed, was the response. Instead, she had a simple white dress, short so that her legs were shown off, and white slip-on flat shoes. Olivia began to put on the dress before Sumia stopped her, directing her attention to a package on the ground.

"That's a present for you for coming back to us," she said, a sly smile on her face. "Though I suppose it's less a present for you than for Robin…" Olivia opened the parcel to find inside a matching set of undergarments, lacy, pink like her hair, and not exactly made for modesty. She blushed heavily, but put on the set without complaint, thinking about the response she would get out of her fiancé later. Finally dressed, Olivia was ready to go. To go…where exactly? She wasn't sure.

"Umm, th-thank you Sumia," she stuttered. "Where is R-Robin?" Sumia smiled in response.

"You're very welcome, and if everything has gone to plan, he should be with Chrom, and I know exactly where they'll be."

* * *

Robin stood before another door. This seemed like it was becoming a bit of a theme in the last day. Chrom had led him down a series of corridors to a tall tower at one of the corners of the castle. The Grandmaster ring sat on Robin's finger, and he kept fiddling with it, its weight unfamiliar, but not unpleasant. Chrom had instructed him to open the door, as behind it was his final surprise. Unhurriedly, Robin opened the door, noting the rather heavy lock that lay beneath it, and the thickness of the oak. Chrom jiggled about impatiently, anxious to reveal the surprise. Robin walked into a room that was spacious, circular, and outfitted as an office. It had a large desk on the opposite side of the room, behind which sat a padded chair.

On the desk lay pens and papers, and above the desk was a frame for a sword and a bookstand, and next to it a heavy coatrack. Bookshelves lined the walls of the room, with gaping windows on two sides providing the light. The office was sparse, but at the same time, homely, it felt familiar and welcoming to Robin the moment he walked in. Turning to question Chrom as to his purpose, he was met by a grin.

"This," Chrom announced, with a sweeping arm motion, "is your office! As Grandmaster, you will have many duties, to fill out paperwork, attend meetings, assist me in making decisions, and to meet with people of your own accord. This is the base of operations from which you can do this. This tower is called the Grandmaster's tower, because it's where the few living Grandmasters would work. When I got home last night, I had the staff set it all up, it should all be ready for you." Robin was dumfounded, Chrom had gone through all this effort for him?

"Chrom…I don't know what to say, other than thank you. I will do everything within my power to help you." Robin was touched by his friend's kindness, and got down on one knee in a position of loyalty and subjugation.

"Get up, you fool, the tour isn't done yet. Go put your sword, coat and tome over there," he motioned to the stands behind the desk, "and follow me upstairs." Robin did what he was told, and followed Chrom to a staircase he had not noticed immediately, that wound around above the door and up into the ceiling. Robin followed Chrom up, and became aware of another room, with the same dimensions directly above the first. This room was boarded with smooth wooden planks, varnished to a keen shine, and had a large, seemingly comfy, couch facing outwards at one of the large windows. The rest of the room was empty. Robin was confused, and looked to Chrom for an explanation. The Exalt's eyes were shining, clearly he was enjoying himself.

"Well, if you get an office, I think your fiancé should have somewhere she can practice her dancing!" Chrom explained. Robin was stunned, this level of thoughtfulness from Chrom, it was surprising and very welcome. This meant that Olivia could practice her dancing while he was working, and they could spend time together during the day. But still, Chrom wasn't finished yet, as he moved across the room to another staircase. This one led up to yet another room, the same dimensions as the previous two. This one was more furnished, featuring a large, four-poster bed in the centre, with bedside tables on either side, complete with lamps.

Around the edge of the room were wardrobes, filled with clothes. Some were obviously for Robin, shirts and pants and even a series of formal suits. Others were clearly for Olivia, dancing outfits of various degrees of skimpiness, dresses and pink pyjamas in about four different cloths. On the right side of the bed were two doors that, when opened, revealed a spacious balcony with a fantastic view. From it, Robin could see out over the castle grounds, see the training grounds; see down the hill into Ylisstol. He could see even further, out to final wall and onwards to the sprawling settlements beyond. He could see the large forest that flanked Ylisstol to the north-west and the ocean was just visible to the south. The balcony continued around the tower in a circle, so that one could feasibly see in a full circle.

A small wooden table was present on the balcony, akin to the similar one inside, opposite the doors to the balcony. They were both flanked by two chairs. When pressed for an explanation for all of this, Chrom explained that he expected Robin and Olivia to live in the castle, as previous Grandmasters and their spouses had done. Robin was quite simply floored. Chrom went on to explain that they were invited to dine with the Royal Family whenever they wanted, but there was a bell next to the bed that if rung would summon a maid, who would bring them food they could eat either inside or outside on the tables. Chrom had really thought of everything.

"Well," said Chrom, "I'll leave you to acclimatise, and we can get started on work tomorrow, though not too early," he said with a smile. He turned to leave, leaving Robin standing out on the balcony entranced by the view.

"Thank you." Robin simply wasn't able to express the degree of his gratitude, but Chrom seemed to understand.

"You deserve it," the Exalt replied, before bidding Robin goodbye. The tactician stood there on the balcony, simply observing the world for a few minutes, before he heard light padding footsteps behind him. Turning around he saw Olivia, clean dressed beautifully, impeccably presented. She stood, her hands behind her back, looking down at the floor demurely.

"Wow…" was all Robin could say. Olivia looked up at him shyly, before stepping forwards. They looked each other in the eye for half a second before their lips came crashing together and they stumbled back towards the bed, bodies intertwined.

* * *

Outside the Grandmaster's Tower, Chrom and his wife met up. Pressing his ear to the door, Chrom could hear faint grunting sounds coming from the other side. Turning to his wife, he addressed her with a smile on his face.

"Fine, fine. You were right. Getting the soundproofing probably was a good idea."

* * *

 **A/N- And so ends the longest chapter so far! Never thought this would be so long, it just sort of kept going. Heated baths, heated meetings, sometimes I make myself laugh. This chapter also introduces two reasonable important characters, and two of a couple of original characters I'll be introducing. In particular, I really like the idea of Elohim. I can see how Chrom, after losing his father, would need a father figure to look up to, and it's never really explained how he learnt swordplay, so I think this works those problems all out pretty well. I also like Sumia being a bit maternal to Olivia**

 **Aaaaanyway, I had fun writing this one, another lighter tone chapter, but I think next chapter will see the start of a couple of darker ones, we'll see.**

 **Also, my loyal reviewers seemed to enjoy the feedback response in the previous chapter, so I'll keep that going here! Feel free to drop me line, either as a review or a PM, you all have no idea how much it means to see feedback. I open the site literally every couple of hours, and often end up re-reading old reviews, so thank you all!**

 **csihawk- Thanks for your detailed feedback. When I'm writing, a key thing for me is to make sure I get the grammar and spelling right, so if you ever see a mistake, please let me know. As a Literature and English student, improper grammar or spelling gets on my nerves because it pulls you out of the reading experience.**

 **Shipmeister's Humoresque- Little Lucina is fast becoming one of my favourites to write, she's just so fun! Thanks for reviewing, and don't diminish your importance as a reader and a reviewer! It's insightful reviews and feedbacks such as yours that encourages me to keep writing!**

 **She Who is Woe- I feel so sorry for Frederick, in a nice way. I reckon he cops so much from the Royal Family, must be hard work! He'll have lots of work to do in this story too, but at least he's got his wife, who we haven't seen yet, to help.**

 **RedNephilim- All the future children always appealed to me. I loved how losing their parents affected them in different ways, and I think in the future I'll touch on my interpretation for what each of them suffers from, because the description I used last chapter, Lucina's band of psychological disorders, very much applies. My favourite was always Severa, which I think is funny in itself. I had my Avatar marry Cordelia in my first playthrough of the game, and I like her tsundere personality a lot. I'm so hyped for Fates! It's hard for me in Australia though, because we don't even have a release date here though. I have preordered the special edition though…**

 **Thank you all for reading, and one last little note before I sign off. I want to encourage more reader/writer interaction, so starting this chapter, I'll have a little challenge question, and I'll give a shoutout to the first person to answer it correctly! So, here we go, where did I get the name Riegel for Sumia's last name?**

 **Until next time!**

 **S.**


	7. Chapter 7: Angst

**Chapter Seven: Angst**

Robin lay on the bed, breathing heavily from exertion. He swore that Olivia never seemed to get worn out, no matter how long or hard they went at it. It must be the fact that she needs a large amount of stamina for dancing, he mused, as he sought to catch his breath. Breathing in a large gulp of air, he swung himself up, standing up off the rather comfy bed that he'd somehow obtained in the day since he'd returned. The past day had been ludicrous, something of a dream, and even now he was struggling to process what had happened. He'd returned, found Olivia, been appointed to the highest rank of military official in the halidom, been given his own tower and told that he could join the Exalt for breakfast.

The tactician in Robin screamed out that this was all too convenient, that it was a dream invented by his imagination to comfort him from some other dire circumstance, yet a pinch on his arm seemed to negate the possibility. Instead, Robin acknowledged, he would just have to accept that he'd had some good luck in the past day, and he resigned himself to the fact that overthinking it would simply make matters far less enjoyable. Olivia was looking far better, he noted. She'd had a bath, scrubbing away what seemed like years' worth of dirt caked into her skin; had her hair cleaned, so that the soft pink colour returned; been shaved and somehow received an entirely new set of clothes.

The tactician, now Grandmaster, walked over to the balcony on the far side of their bedroom, opening the door and moving to step out.

"Ummm, Robin?" a quiet voice came from the bed he had departed. "You might not want to do that…" Robin turned to face his fiancé, about to pose a question, but was floored by the sight he saw, one he probably wouldn't get used to. Olivia lay on her side, her head propped up by one arm, wearing nothing save the pink, lacy underwear that she had obtained from Sumia. Lying on her side like this showed off her long, supple legs, and the sheen of sweat covering her skin indicated the physicality of their prior actions. Unaware of Robin's stupor, or choosing to ignore it, Olivia continued.

"I know you're happy to have come back, and I'm certainly happy that you've come back and I wouldn't know what I would've done without you and having you back is so fantastic and it feels like a dream but…"

"Olivia," Robin interjected into the dancer's ramblings, "get to the point?" That sort of tumbling sentence, a stream of words falling out in a barely conjoined manner was symptomatic of the old Olivia, and proved to Robin that despite her seemingly increased confidence around him, she was still the same shy Olivia he had fallen in love with.

"You're naked." Olivia's declaration interrupted Robin's thought process on the degree to which she had changed in his absence, or perhaps since his return. "And while I'm sure the people of Ylisse will be very glad to know that rumours of your death were exaggerated, I'm not sure they're quite ready to see you in all your glory. Don't put any clothes on for my sake though, I don't mind…" she concluded slyly, accompanying her declaration with a sultry wink. Robin flushed, for what felt like the millionth time since his return. Olivia's ability to have this effect on him was unparalleled. Just when he thought shades of her less confident self were returning, she pulled something like that on him. Naga! It was hard for him to keep up!

Tacitly accepting her reasoning, he moved away from the window to sit on the edge of the bed for a moment, before rising once again to look through the wardrobe that he assumed to be his, ruffling through the many sets of clothes available to him. Olivia groaned when she saw what he was doing.

"Robiiiiiiiiin! Why are you getting dressed?" she whined, almost childlike in her disappointment.

"Because, although you may have forgotten about them, I haven't forgotten that we need to go and see Inigo and Morgan." While intended as a joke, the implications of the statement weren't lost on Olivia, who shrunk down at the words, going from a confident position to one of shame. Hearing no response, Robin turned to see his partner shaking in a ball of tears on the bed.

"Hey, what's up?" he asked, abandoning his dressing process to move over and sit next to her. Stroking his fingers through her long, silky hair as he often used to do when she was upset, he sat and waited for her to settle, not oblivious to the pools of liquid forming on the sheets below where her hands covered her eyes. A muffled mumble came through her hands.

"Sorry, 'Liv, but I can't understand that," he gently pressed her. Removing her hands from her face, she turned to him with a pained expression.

"I don't deserve them!" she cried out. "At least for you, you died like a hero! They could be proud of you! I just ran away from them when they needed me most! I abandoned them again, just like when they were left behind in the future! They deserve better than me!" She finished her tirade of words with a sob and buried her face into Robin's chest. The tactician sighed, he probably should have expected this. Olivia's guilt about the way in which she acted after he had disappeared was preventing her from moving on. But he'd seen the faces of Inigo and Morgan when he'd told them he would bring their mother back; faces of hope. He knew, as well as Olivia didn't know, how important their family was to the two of them, and that they would forgive her. Speaking to the quivering figure curled up against him, Robin spoke.

"Olivia. I know you feel guilty about what you've done, how do you think I feel about leaving you behind for two whole years? But they need their mother. Our children need us, need our family to be whole again. They lost us once in the future, and they lost again. Now what they need is the one thing they couldn't get previously, they need us to come back. I'm not going to lie and pretend that they won't be angry, or that they might not accept it straight away, but I know for certain that they need their mother." He could feel Olivia's shaking slow up and come to a halt against him.

"…okay," he heard her say in a small voice. Looking down, he saw that her face was turned up towards him. Her eyes were still wet with tears, but there was a sparkle in them that indicated the strength of her conviction. Robin was relieved, so much of Olivia's pain was centred on her own failings that he was afraid she would never be able to forgive herself or make any motions towards fixing her mistakes. In a way, he supposed, her confidence around him was a way of projecting what she wanted to be like at all times, but she was only able to do with him. Regardless, reconciling with their children would be a good forwards step in building her back up to the person he had left.

"So," he began, attempting a jovial tone in order to lighten the mood, "shall we get dressed?" With one final sniffle, Olivia turned her face up again and nodded wordlessly, before letting go of him to get up, crossing the room to her wardrobe. Robin followed, and they began looking for clothes to wear, in silence, but a comfortable silence of companionship. Robin put on a white shirt, and black pants, comfortable wear, with his boots. Olivia, chose the outfit that she was most comfortable with, namely a dancer's outfit similar to her own original one. In order to put it on, she removed her brassiere, a motion that caught Robin's eye. Noticing him watching her out of the corner of her own eye, she stretched her arms up above her head, thrusting her chest out in front of her in order to best show off her ample chest. Robin was mesmerised, and only snapped out of it when she finished dressing. Despite her earlier claim, Olivia chose to continue wearing the panties Sumia had given her.

As Robin turned away to finish putting on his boots, and Olivia waited for him, she decided to take a look through the remainder of the wardrobe, to determine what clothing she would need to add. Nothing, was the result of her investigations, every style, every piece of clothing that could reasonable be conjured into one's imagination had been provided, and all seemed as if they would fit her. Sumia had done a good job. There were a few things of interest that she noted however. Firstly, a box in the corner, that, when investigated, turned out to be the top of a chute of some kind; Olivia theorised it was a washing chute, into which they were to place their dirty laundry. The other object of interest was that although the protrusion for the wardrobe continued around most of the room, there was a section on one side of it that wasn't accessible from the outside.

Olivia stuck her head into the wardrobe to have a look, inspecting the wall on the inside of the cupboard on the far side, next to the inaccessible area. Down the bottom of the wall, she found a small handle, which caused the portion of wall to fold away when pulled. What lay inside the section resulted in speechlessness. Evidently Sumia had enjoyed herself a little too much…

"Robin…" The tactician heard his name called out from the far side of the room. He lifted his head from the task of tying his bootlaces to respond, but found that Olivia was out of sight. He got up off the edge of the bed and wandered over to where he had heard her voice originate from. Sticking his head into the same section of wardrobe that Olivia had, he was pulled into a side partition of the wardrobe by a small dancer's hand. What lay inside stunned him too.

Hanging on rails on every side of the small room were various designs, colours and ensembles of intimate apparel. Numbering in the multiple hundreds perhaps, there was so many that neither Robin, nor Olivia had any clue what to do. More complex arrays lay towards the back of the room, with some imitating various outfits that were very recognisable facsimiles of the originals, which had belonged to various people they both knew. In addition, various supplies of makeup accompanied different coloured wigs and the clothing. Olivia's eyes were afire with excitement, as she considered all the possibilities she could create with this room. A different part of Robin was afire.

After they'd had their fill of that room, they gathered together a few possessions they might need for the rest of the afternoon. Robin fastened his Levin Sword and Thoron in his trademark cloak, and Olivia grabbed a small pouch of money. Ensuring they had everything they needed, they moved to leave, before Olivia stopped Robin by grabbing his sleeve and turning him to face her. She then caught his lips in a deep kiss, this time not sexual, but instead expressing her deep love for him. Robin returned the favour, and, breathless, they made their way out of their tower and began moving through the castle.

* * *

The city was in a subdued mood during the middle of the afternoon. It was summer, and it was hot; and being the day after a festival, the city hadn't really ever woken up from the previous night's revelry. With Robin's encouragement, Olivia was happy to walk through the streets, holding her head high and looking around curiously at the sights she'd missed as she'd trudged around with her head bowed. The only sign of her lack of comfort in this setting was her hand grasping tightly onto Robin's. Anyone looking at her would have said that she was an exotic beauty, confidently striding through the streets.

And look at her they did! It seemed that in the mire of the afternoon heat haze, the sight of the dancer was a breath of fresh air. Dressed in clothes that were revealing, and walking with dainty, poised steps, it would have been hard for anyone not to notice her. Indeed, many pairs of eyes followed her movement, some lecherous, some curious, but all jealous, or in awe of the man accompanying her. Whispers followed them, questioning how a girl like that could end up with a guy like him, yet Olivia seemed oblivious to it all.

Robin was most certainly not. He began to feel self-conscious, as the front Olivia put forwards, and he could feel that it was a front from her trembling fingers, seemed far more confident than he could ever be in this situation. It was no mystery to the tactician what the whispers were about, and he wondered whether there was any verity to them. Perhaps he was the one not worthy of the attention of such a beautiful woman? Putting those thoughts to one side, Robin gave some thought to the issue of his returning, namely, how people would find out. Yes, Chrom had informed the nobles that morning, but based on the fracas that had ensued, most of them may still be there.

Robin was so entombed in his thoughts that he almost didn't realise that Olivia had stopped, coming to a stumbling halt behind her. Walking up the road towards them were three men, who looked a little worse for wear, some with fingers strapped to the next, and one with a bandage around their arm that seemed to be leaking blood. Yet, whatever bad experience these men had had, it hadn't changed their decision-making process, as they blocked the path, the lead one calling out in a strangely familiar voice.

"Oi, luvvy! What's a pretty girl like you doin' with a lad like 'im? Surely you need a mite better, eh?" Olivia's eyes narrowed in anger upon hearing the man speak, her hand tensing up even more against Robin's. Sensing her discomfort, nay, anger, Robin chose this moment to take the initiative. Yes, he concluded, as he stepped forwards, pulling his hand out of Olivia's grasp in the process, this would be a good way to announce his return.

"Oooh, the big man reckons 'e's got a shot with us, he does!" one of them snickered. Robin wordlessly pushed the sleeves of his cloak up, as his expression hardened into a mask of stone. He drew his Levin Sword out of its buckle at his belt, and removed Thoron from within the folds of his cloak. Seeing the jagged sword caused the men to take a step back, but they still stood their ground. Seeing this, Robin sighed, before booming his voice out in the loudest and most intimidating tone he could muster.

"I am Robin! Tactician to the Shepherds! Vessel of Grima until I destroyed him! Vanquisher of thousands of foes! Defender of the weak, the innocent! I am the Grandmaster of Ylisse's Armed Forces and I will not be defied!" Robin accompanied this last statement by raising the Thoron tome above his head, calling forth a giant lightning bolt that struck straight down from the sky, hitting the tip of his raised Levin Sword and creating a blinding white flash followed by a loud boom. Olivia had wisely closed her eyes and so now opened them to the sight of the people of the street cowering with ringing ears and frozen in place by the ferocity of the bolt.

The three men were flat on their backs, and an unpleasant aroma began wafting from the leader of their little group. Terrified, the men scrambled to their feet and set off down the hill as fast as their legs would carry them. Robin was fairly certain they wouldn't be back any time soon. He chuckled to himself as he placed his tome and sword back in their rightful places, and dusted himself off. He felt another hand grasp his again, and looking around, he expected to see Olivia, but was instead surprised to find a young boy, who couldn't have been more than five years old, tugging at his hand.

"Mister! Are you really Robin?" the boy asked inquisitively, looking up at Robin with wide eyes.

"Yes, I am," Robin replied with a smile. The boy still looked suspicious.

"Aren't you s'posed to be dead?" he asked bluntly. Robin winced, this would take some explaining. He opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by the boy again. "Oh well, you aren't dead anymore, are you? Thanks for scaring those guys, they're mean. They pick on people around here." With that, the boy was finished, and ran off down a side alley, mimicking shooting lightning bolts from his hands as he did so. Robin turned to face Olivia with a bemused expression on his face. She raised an eyebrow at him in mock disappointment.

"Looks like you have a fan," she stated, her serious expression breaking into one of glee. She took Robin's hand once again and they continued on their way towards the outskirts of the city.

"Vanquisher? Really?" she dug her elbow into Robin's side. "Sometimes you make me wonder which one of us is the performer"

* * *

Picking their way through the streets, Olivia leading the way since she was more familiar with the route, Robin and his companion quickly reached the barracks where they had formerly lived and where the current Shepherds lived. The door was large and constructed with wood, a slit at eye height so that a guard could look through to see who wished to enter. Robin rapped the knocker on the door, and took a few steps back. No response was to be heard. He walked up the steps to the door again and repeated the process. This time, he squinted his eyes and peered through the slit to see what was within. Perhaps the person on guard was simply sleeping?

Instead, he caught an eyeful of Severa and Kjelle locked in a passionate kiss, Severa pushed up against the wall, lifted up by Kjelle's strength. Robin quickly backed away, rubbing his eyes. That was probably the reason they weren't opening the door then. Not wanting to have to break into a third place in two days, Robin instead decided to attempt to interrupt the two lovebirds. He placed his mouth up against the opening of the door and proceeded to yell through.

"Severa and Kjelle! I don't care what the two of you get up to in your spare time, but for Naga's sake, open the damn door!" This certainly had the desired effect. Robin heard a thump on the ground, presumably Severa as Kjelle failed to continue holding her up. Then he heard rapid ruffling of clothes before finally the door creaked open to two red-faced twenty year olds.

"Thank you!" Robin smiled warmly, as he made his way into the barracks, Olivia following behind, her head lowered meekly.

"Ummm, hello Robin," Kjelle attempted to act normally, but her red face indicated her embarrassment. Robin decided to continue on as if nothing had happened.

"Hello Kjelle, hello Severa, how are the two of you?" he smiled at the two younger girls.

"How are we? Gawds aren't you clueless! Why can't two girls get a little privacy every now and then? Seriously!" Severa huffed, hiding her embarrassment through anger. "Anyway you just got back and we don't even know if it's the real you!" she declared, a smug expression coming across her face. Robin was fast becoming frustrated with the snarky act.

"You'd best be careful taking that tone with me, young lady," he said.

"Why's that?" Severa shot back bitingly.

"Your father owes me one." The implication of this wasn't lost on the swordswoman. Her father could make her train for days on end, or make her run laps around the castle, or cut off her spending money! That was dangerous, and if Robin was able to get him to do this, that made Robin dangerous to her too! Her tone and attitude changed drastically.

"Well, let's not worry too much about that little incident," she smiled innocently at him, her demeanour thoroughly different from that previous.

"What 'little incident' would this be?" a voice questioned from further within the barracks. Lucina walked up to the group, Falchion swinging at her side. "Hello Uncle Robin," she greeted him, "and good afternoon Aunt Olivia, it's lovely to see you." Olivia smiled nervously back at her with this greeting, but was still too timid to say anything. Lucina continued.

"Anyway, Severa, why are you here? It's Kjelle's turn to be on guard duty. You should be helping Noire in the kitchen." Severa huffed in response to this. She hated kitchen duty! It was always peeling potatoes! Potatoes were the worst! She stamped off towards the mess hall, glowering at anything she passed. Kjelle, still quite red, moved back to the door, and picked up a book she had been reading prior to interruption by Severa. Lucina motioned for the two guests to follow her further into the barracks, leading them into the garden in the centre.

"So, why are the two of you here?" she questioned conversationally. "What can we help you with?" Robin responded with a smile, he'd always appreciated Lucina's sensibility.

"We're here to see our children. Where's Morgan?" Lucina responded calmly.

"I believe she's in her office as normal, she spends a lot of time in there filling out all the paperwork. I'm sure she'd love an interruption though." Robin was satisfied and continued his questions.

"And what about Inigo? Is he nearby?" This prompted a vastly different response from the leader of the Shepherds. Immediately blushing and looking off to the side, Lucina's response had guilty written all over her face.

"Inigo? Where is he? Why would I know that? It's not as if I would have seen him or anything. Though, um, I'm sure I could probably find him?" Ignoring the manner of Lucina's response for the moment, Robin responded gratefully.

"Thank you, could you as him to join us in Morgan's office?" Lucina nodded and hurried off. Robin turned to face Olivia, who wore a small smile of amusement.

"Why is everyone acting so strangely?" he wondered aloud, before recalling the position he'd seen the two of them in the previous night. Nope! He banished that thought from his head. He'd only been back for just over a day! He was not at all ready to deal with that! "Aaaaanyway," he continued, "shall we go and see Morgan?" Olivia responded with a nervous nod. Robin took her hand, and led her down the hall to where he had met Morgan the previous night. The further down the hall they got, the more Robin was dragging Olivia, her nerves starting to get the better of her. After all, she hadn't seen her daughter in over a year. Would she still be the same? Would she want to see her mother?

These doubts were crushed when Robin forcefully pulled her up next to a plain wooden door, before proceeding to knock rather loudly on it. This time he didn't look through the slot allotted to the door, he would prefer not to repeat the previous mistake.

"Who is it? It's open! Come in!" His daughter's voice rang out from within the room. Upon hearing it, so bubbly and cheerful, tears began to well up in Olivia's eyes. She couldn't take it anymore, and she burst into the room. Morgan was busy at her desk, her head down and the hood of her cloak up around her ears. She looked up just in time to see a whirlwind of pink hair rushing towards her, before she was enveloped in a hug. Not quite processing what was going on, she looked at her father in confusion.

"I brought you a guest," he motioned her to look at who was hugging her. Pink hair, Morgan thought absentmindedly, as a familiar scent pricked her nostrils, now who had pink hair. Well she did, and Cherche did, and also…

"Mum?" The sobbing tears coming from the bundle hugging her confirmed this. Instantly, Morgan was hugging back with all her might, tears streaming down her face as well as she mouthed a silent thanks to Robin, who was watching, bemused from the other side of the room. The two pink-haired women were bawling their eyes out on the floor, refusing to let go of each other. From within the seemingly random pile of limbs could be heard Olivia mouthing apology after apology, as the gravity of her mistake caught up with her, whereas Morgan was just so happy to have her mother back that she couldn't care less why she hadn't been there previously. Morgan had always had a one-track mind.

Robin moved over to join in with the family hug, but was interrupted by a gasp from the doorway. Standing there, having nonchalantly made his way over from wherever he had been, was Inigo, mouth agape, watching on as his mother and sister were entangled in a hug. Robin smiled at him.

"I told you so." Olivia looked up to see her son standing there, and this in and of itself brought on a fresh round of tears.

"Inigo…" she whispered, looking at him plaintively, trying to make him understand. Tears sprung into Inigo's eyes, it was too much for him to bear. However, instead of the presumed action of joining in the family reunion, Inigo did the opposite.

He ran.

Stumbling and fumbling he sprinted out across the courtyard towards the exit of the barracks. Along the way he crashed into Lucina, who stopped him.

"Inigo, what's wrong? What's going on?" she attempted to question him.

"They can't just come back! They left! They left us alone! And now they come back and expect things to go back to normal straight away! But I already lost them both, twice now! It's not fair! They can't just come back! I won't forgive her!" And with that, he pushed past Lucina, and sprinted out of the courtyard, pushing past Kjelle and into the streets beyond.

Robin came sprinting out after Inigo, and seeing Lucina, he ran over to enquire as to his erstwhile son's whereabouts. The reply he received was shocking to him. Inigo was gone, out of the barracks, to who knows where. Robin squatted down on his haunches, hands on his face. This wasn't how it was supposed to go! It was supposed to be the perfect reunion, and they were all going to be a happy family again. Robin got up and started running as well, pushing past Kjelle and out into the streets.

"Tell Olivia to stay here!" he called back to the warrior woman, who nodded in affirmation.

Robin set out along the streets, unsure where he was going, but determined to get there nonetheless.

This was not how it was meant to go!

* * *

Inigo had been running for ages. It was now dark, and the looming canopies of the trees above leant the forest outside Ylisstol and eerie pallor. His tears long since dried up, the young dancer was still running just to put distance between himself and an issue he wasn't ready to face. It wasn't that he didn't want to see his mother again, it was just that he had gotten used to living without them. Gotten used to the pain of having them both wrenched away from him for the second time. If they were back, that meant that it would only happen a third time, and he wasn't sure whether he could cope with that. It was just too much, too soon. And now how did he look? Like an idiot, a fool.

He bet his father was out there searching for him right now, because he'd been too stubborn, too much of an idiot to accept her return. And how did it make her feel? Probably awful, like he didn't accept her, like he had rejected her as his mother. Some small part of him whispered that that was a good thing. That she deserved to suffer a little for what she'd put him through. That then maybe she'd understand the pain she'd caused him. But this small voice was drowned out by the desire to be with her again. To hug her, to have her looking out for him. To be able to dance with her again!

Naga! He was an idiot! He shouldn't be running away to the middle of a forest, he should be with her now, reconciling! He turned about, looking for a way out of the forest, but no easy way presented itself. He was in the middle of a clearing, surrounded by tall, impenetrable trees, an army of silent soldiers, watching his futile attempt to gain his bearings. He sat down on a rock, completely at a loss for what to do. What an idiot he was! Now what? He was lost!

As Inigo sat down, mentally berating himself, a dark, lumbering form could be seen pacing around the outside of the clearing. Unbeknownst to Inigo, he had become the target of someone, or something, which wanted him for dinner. Suddenly, with a great roar, a huge bear came rushing out of the trees towards the boy. Inigo stirred, spooked by the sudden movement, and reached for his sword at his belt, only to find it absent. He had forgotten to bring it with him when he had sprinted out of the barracks in such a hurry. Silently, he resolved himself to his fate. This would serve him right! To be eaten by a bear as a punishment for rejecting his mother. He silently bowed his head, waiting or the end, when out of nowhere a thin sword came spiralling.

From within the woods, the rapier flashed in a deadly flight, its arc ending with a slash across the bear's face. Howling in pain, the bear turned and fled into the trees, the sword ending its flight buried in the dirt, hilt up. Inigo looked around worriedly, unsure who his saviour was. Then, from underneath a large musketeer's hat came a silky voice.

"Now what would you be doing out here at this time of night…"

* * *

 **A/N- Bam! You asked for angst? You get a chapter entitled Angst! Seriously though, I feel bad for Inigo here. How hard would it be to lose both your parents TWICE? This was a fun chapter to write, as always, and I'm sorry it's a few days later than normal. Sunday, my normal day to accomplish a larger portion of the writing and editing was overtaken by Valentine's Day. I went to see Deadpool with my girlfriend. It was amazing!**

 **But on to the story, instead of answering your comments this week (sorry), a couple of updates on the story. Firstly, the introduction arc of the story is almost complete, and will be after the next chapter. This was the part of the story I had planned most meticulously, and while I have ideas for future chapters and a fairly good idea where the story is heading, now is when I'd like to ask for suggestions on possible chapters or events that could occur! So drop me a line in the comments, or PM if you prefer.**

 **Secondly, in regards to lemons in this story. Now I'm as much of a fan as a good lemon as anyone else, especially with good characters such as the ones that Awakening offers, but I've come to the conclusion that including one in this story would go against the vein of it. Instead I'll keep the innuendo up, and make it a more mature story, but without any graphic depiction of sex. However, that's not to say I won't be writing some lemons.**

 **What I'm planning to do is write a companion story that will contain lemons from within this story. What this means is that if you want to read lemons from this story, you can, but if you don't wish to, they won't be forced down your throat. I already have a number of good ideas for lemons, refer to the cupboard I mentioned at the start of this chapter. Olivia is a dancer, skilled in applying makeup, and with the supplies in that cupboard, she could reasonably dress herself up as any of the Shepherds…This is basically my excuse to allow lemons between Robin and whoever.**

 **So yeah, keep an eye out for that. There won't be a specific upload schedule, I'll just be posting one when I feel like it, and the first probably won't be up for a few weeks.**

 **Until next time!**

 **S.**


	8. Chapter 8: Healing

**Chapter Eight: Healing**

Robin rushed desperately through the pitch-black forest. Stumbling and fumbling, he was unable to see more than an arm's length in front of him, so the uneven flooring was not something he was able to adjust for. His normally tactical and rational mind was subsumed by overwhelming feelings of grief and guilt. Of course Inigo had a right not to be happy with them! They had both been gone for at least a year! And then he had come back, trying naively to restore their family to what it was before the end of the war, and such a sudden shift in dynamic, that would upset anyone, let alone a boy that had now been through the process of losing both parents twice. These thoughts were rushing through Robin's mind with far greater speed than the limited progress he was making through the woods.

The woods outside Ylisstol were surprisingly thick, with an overhead canopy that let little light through in the daytime, but at night, one may as well have been attempting to traverse them blindfolded. Chrom's father had once attempted to cut the woods down for the use of the construction of siege machines and trebuchets in his war against Plegia. Yet the absurdly high rate of men being lost to the various creatures within the forest had led to a high desertion rate and tales of a mystical being that guarded the forest from harm. Often men would simply disappear during the middle of the day, with not a sound heard, and would be found weeks later, their body cut literally to pieces. Thus, this project was abandoned, and the forest was left standing in its wild state.

Robin was not in a position to care about this particularly much, his hysterical state leading to a lack of caution when it came to traversing the forest. He was unsure what he would do when he found Inigo, and was unsure if Inigo was even here. Perhaps the boy had gone back to the barracks and he had simply missed him? Perhaps there was nothing to find out here, and this was merely a fool's errand. These doubts became increasingly prominent in Robin's panicked mind as he frantically tore through the undergrowth. However, he was determined to keep searching until he found his son.

Swept up in emotion, and as a result, somewhat distracted from his need to attentively watch the path in front of him Robin was only dimly aware of a huge presence crashing through the jungle towards him. Without warning, his limited vision was encroached upon by a large dark mass barrelling towards him. Perhaps in an equally panicked state to what the tactician was, a large bear burst out of the trees in front of him, and continued on its path towards him. Robin, only noticing at the last minute, grit his teeth and grimaced as he drew his sword.

Now this was just getting on his nerves.

* * *

Inigo stood in the clearing, his blade raised, pointed at the other man's throat. The blade the man had thrown was placed directly behind the young dancer, in an attempt to stop him from reaching it again. Yet even in the face of such danger, the man remained still, a casual smile on his face, hands in pockets, seemingly waiting for Inigo to make the first move. This relative calmness unnerved Inigo, and he challenged the man to account for it.

"Who are you?" Inigo asked pointedly, a sneer crossing his face. "What are you doing here?"

"One could feasibly ask the same question of your fine self," the man replied, "traipsing through my forest at night and almost ending up a meal for a bear. Now is it just me, or does that not seem the logic of rational processing? One might reasonably think that you had turned up here due to an excess of emotion." Inigo was distinctly unimpressed by the man's manner.

"You haven't answered my questions," the dancer reminded the man with a motion of his blade closer to the other's neck. "And if I was you, I would get on with it."

"Well fine, my young one, I will answer some of your questions. My name is not important, but as for what I'm doing here, this forest is my home. I live here and attempt to prevent harm from coming to such a wild and untamed place. As such, when I could hear someone running through the forest with all the delicacy of a boar after a meal, I endeavoured to investigate. I do hope that suffices to sate your curiosity on the matter?" Inigo was still somewhat suspicious, his narrowed eyes belying his lack of faith in the man's words.

"Then, if you wish to save the forest so much, why did you almost kill that bear? Why did you bother saving me?"

"Key word, young one, 'almost'. I would never harm the wildlife of this forest, even in the desire to save another. However, the reason I saved you? Well, is it enough to say that I simply don't enjoy seeing a human life being taken?" Inigo's glare indicated to the man that this was perhaps not a satisfactory response.

"Fine, fine! The reason I saved you specifically is that I owe your father a debt." Inigo drew in a breath at that, but the other man went on unflinchingly. "Your father managed to successfully keep a young student of mine safe throughout a series of rather horrible wars; indeed, it would seem that your father managed to keep rather a lot of people alive through a series of wars, and as such, I feel that it is only reasonable for me to provide some protection to his offspring, even if they are from another time." This last statement was accompanied by a wink, which left Inigo confused even further. Yes, they hadn't exactly kept the fact that they'd come from the future a secret, Chrom had even tried to explain it to people in person so that the new Shepherds might be accepted, yet most people still held their doubts, even if they were in private. To hear this man so confidently asserting what he knew to be the truth caused Inigo to have even greater questions. Who was this man? Interrupting his train of thought, the man continued.

"But now I must ask of you some questions of my own. Firstly, what brings you to the middle of the forest in the middle of the night, and secondly, would you mid awfully lowering your sword?" Inigo blushed at that second question, having forgotten he had the man literally at sword point, and quickly lowered his weapon to his hip, not letting go of it though, his white knuckles gripping the haft indicating the tension in his body, as he stood like a coiled spring, ready to leap into action at any point. In response to the first question, however, Inigo was confused and embarrassed. Put simply, he didn't have a good answer.

"Well," he began, "both my father, whom you seem to know, and my mother, have each been gone for at least a year each. They've been completely out of my life, and I grew to be able to live without them. And then they come back, and want to continue life as if it was exactly the same as before! But it isn't! They went away, they left us, again! And now they're back, it's only going to happen over and over again. I can't take that! I just wish they'd stayed gone!" The man sighed in response, he'd suspected as much.

"Once, a long time ago, I had a young boy, much younger than you, run into the forest also expressing his hate for his father. His father wasn't coming back this time though. He told me that he wished everything about his father would disappear, that the man had never existed in the first place. And once this boy had calmed down a little, do you know what he said to me? He admitted that he was just angry because he missed him. He wanted to see his father again, and now he was gone. Regardless of whether we like everything that our parents do, whether we agree with them or not, fundamentally, there will always be a part of us that needs them, and so I'm guessing that you're not angry with your parents, your angry for yourself for feeling like you need them. You feel like you should be angry at them for going away, but you're so relieved that they're back that you can't process that. You want to be angry with them, but at the same time, your heart is telling you to forgive them, and for someone who already lost their parents once before, that's difficult.

"Just be glad that they have returned to you. Yes, they went away, and of course you have the right to be upset about that, but I seem to recall your father seemingly died all so he could protect his family? Now I don't know about your mother, but I think you should give them another chance. I'm guessing that right now, both of them are desperately out here looking for you. So don't throw away parents while you still have them, because surely even one more day spent with them still there is better than what you experienced before you came here, hmm?"

Inigo knew that the man was right. Putting aside the question of his identity for a moment, he had delivered some rather sage advice. Maybe he was right. His father had disappeared to save them all, and while his mother was a lot harder to forgive, if they were both willing to make an effort and try and be in the lives of a son they hadn't even been responsible for the creation of, let alone birthed, then he should at least be willing to put some effort back in in return. Then maybe…

BOOOOOOOMMM!

His stream of thought was interrupted by a huge explosion not far away from the clearing. The other man looked around, before taking a deep sigh, and moving towards the edge of the clearing.

"That's my cue to depart," he said wryly, "it would seem that your father has found you even quicker than I thought he would have. Just remember that he's not the enemy, and whether you want it or not, he's going to be doing what he can for you." Inigo became aware of a crashing sound just to the outside of the clearing, which sounded suspiciously like someone attempting to get through a dense layer of foliage , accompanied by a few choice curse words. It was certainly his father. Inigo turned to thank the man for his counsel, but by the time he looked around, the man had already disappeared back into the forest, his sword with him, leaving no trace that he had ever been there.

* * *

Olivia was, to put it simply, losing her mind to worry. Inigo had gone and run off, and while she didn't blame him for why he had done, the fact that he hadn't even given her a chance to explain made it pretty difficult for her. Then Robin, like the foolhardy idiot he was, had to run off and chase him. And now they'd both been gone for hours and it was dark outside. And now here she was with a hysterical daughter and Olivia was finding it all a little bit difficult. Morgan was understandably upset, the perfect family reunion she dreamed off shattered. This, combined with the happiness of getting her mother back had left her in a complete emotional state. So now there were two pink-haired women worrying their little hearts out and in short, everything was going pretty well.

Olivia was the first to calm herself down. Her head still raced with thoughts of worries of where her husband-to-be and her son were, but for now, Morgan needed her to settle and be the mother she hadn't had for the last year. Currently, Morgan could well have been classed as physically attached to her mother, her arms wrapped around her chest and her face buried into the crook of the slightly taller dancer's neck. Her hood was up over her head, covering her hair, and the shaking of her body belied her emotional state. Olivia pushed the hood back off her daughter's head and ran her fingers through her hair, attempting to calm her with gentle, motherly motions. Slowly and surely, Morgan began to settle down, and the look she gave Olivia could well have been that of a five-year old when her head turned upwards.

"Mum, when will Dad and Inigo be back?" she sniffled, attempting to seem in control of emotions. It was lovely for Olivia to see, how much her daughter had grown up, and how she was attempting to act mature in the face of a situation she clearly had no idea how to deal with. Normally she would have been able to put emotion aside and instead focus on rational planning, but with these current events that had occurred, she was better placed to be looked after and cared for. The loss of her parents had hit her hard, yes, but it seemed that Inigo had taken it harder, due to the fact that he remembered losing them the first time, where she did not. However, that is not to say that it hadn't affected Morgan. For someone with no memory of her past life to wake up in a different world that she didn't understand, she naturally latched onto those things she remembered, namely her father, and as time went on her mother. As a result, her emotional dependence on her parents was also reasonably strong.

"Very soon, honey," her mother replied soothingly, as she continued to stroke her fingers through her daughter's hair. In response to this Morgan's eyes fluttered closed, and a small smile tugged at her lips. It was late now, and after a long day of work, and an emotional past few hours, the young woman was a little worn out. Olivia thought back to when Morgan had been like this in a campaign, and what she'd done to attempt to counter it. With no immediate answer apparent, Olivia settled instead for a tried and true parental strategy; distraction.

"Hey Morgan? Is this a battle strategy board?" she asked, pointing to a recreation of a battle terrain, adorned with various wooden carved figures. Upon closer inspection, it became apparent that these figures were wooden recreations of the Shepherds. Not just the current Shepherds though, with the first generation present as well, and the enemies they had recruited even getting their own figures. One particular aspect caught her mind however, noticing that neither she, nor Robin, nor Inigo and not even Morgan herself had a figure present. Instead, Olivia realised, they were all stood together on one corner of Morgan's desk, a happy family.

"Yeah!" Morgan replied eagerly, a bright smile replacing her prior gloominess. "Chrom gave it to me for my birthday! Isn't it weird calling him Chrom though? I mean, I know he says that all the Shepherds should call him that, but he is the Exalt now. And I suppose that means I should call Lucina and Cynthia 'princess'? But that would be weird because they're my friends and…"

Morgan's bright and cheery demeanour's return caused Olivia to smile herself. Her daughter was exceedingly clever, but she was very easily distracted. So long as she could occupy her mind with other things, then she could hopefully prevent her from worrying too much about her erstwhile family members. Continuing on in this path, Olivia had another idea.

"I know Morgan, why don't you play me in a game of tactics!" she expressed with far more enthusiasm than she actually felt for the prospect. In response to this suggestion, Morgan's eyes lit up.

"Really? You want to play me? Nobody else here will play with me because I always win."

"Well this time you may not," Olivia said, her voice full of false bravado. Morgan looked at her doubtfully.

"You've never done any tactical stuff before though, have you?" she questioned.

"Your father is the greatest tactician that ever lived, if all those late nights I spent with him as he lay awake to ridiculous hours in the morning planning for the upcoming battle were worth anything, I'm sure I picked up a few things via osmosis." Olivia was portraying a character vastly more confident than she felt. She had never been much good at tactical thinking, but if this would help distract Morgan, then she would be willing to go through with it. And besides, Morgan was positively glowing at the prospect of playing tactics with her mother. Excitedly, the girl got up off the ground, dusted down her tactician cloak and moved across to the table where the board was set up.

The young tactician also quickly vaulted across the room and grabbed the wooden figures of their own family, carrying them over to join the rest of the figures on the table. Morgan quickly grabbed the units that were currently in her own Shepherds, settling with thirteen figures, and invited Olivia to do her best with the numerical superiority. Olivia settled herself down in a chair, opposite her daughter. One glance at her daughter's confident face, her eyes darting around the formation Olivia had come up with on the pseudo-battlefield informed Olivia of all that she needed to know.

Olivia sighed. She was in serious trouble.

* * *

Robin caught a glimpse of a clearing in front of him. Illuminated by moonlight, all sound appeared to cease as he approached from within the dense woodlands. In the soft silver gleam of the clearing, a solitary figure spun and twisted gracefully, almost as if to let the lunar setting carry their movements with a greater degree of power and authority. The long twisting turns and leaps quickly had Robin enthralled, as he was reminded in many ways of his fiancé. The shock of white hair sticking out above the head indicated a different identity, however the movements were decidedly familiar.

Robin stood still at the edge of the clearing, just simply observing the natural, flowing motions. It was clear that the young man was releasing all his emotions through the medium of dance, and Robin was loathe to interrupt. Instead, he simply observed, letting his eyes get lost in the beauty of the movement. He was surprised that Inigo had ever been self-conscious about his actions, he was quite clearly his mother's equal.

"You don't have to stand there," Inigo suddenly asserted, directing his gaze towards his father. Robin wasn't surprised that his son knew he was there, his observational skills had always been reasonably sharp. Robin hesitantly made his way into the clearing, though when he broached the boundary and Inigo ceased dancing, it almost seemed to the man as if he'd interrupted something that was somehow sacred. Robin sat down on a rock in the middle of the clearing with a heavy sigh, sounding as if he was bearing the weight of the world on his shoulders.

"I'm sorry," Inigo began. "I didn't mean to upset you or Mother, it's just that it was hard for me to have you all come back at once. In the future, I just got used to not having you around, and so I was so happy to find you again when I came back, but losing you again kinda sucked. And I suppose that seeing you both back, and seemingly fine, showed me that I would have to go through the pain of losing you again someday." Robin was unsure how to respond to that. He'd sort of suddenly acquired two adult children, without any of the practice of parenting, so he would say that his parenting skills were somewhat lacking. Nonetheless, he attempted to pacify Inigo's concerns.

"I know that, Inigo," he replied. "And I'm truly sorry that we both disappeared this second time. However, I promise that I won't leave you again for a long time to come, and I know if your mother was here, she would promise the exact same thing. I understand that the two of us suddenly coming back into your life will take a little adjusting to, and I won't try and be your father again full time immediately. But just know this, your mother and I will both be there for you whenever you need us." Inigo's eyes misted up with tears at this. But Robin wasn't finished yet.

"You might find that I'm quite the expert in a number of areas, and while I can't teach you all that much about dancing, I'm sure there are things that I can assist you with. Perhaps ideas for presents for your girlfriend?" he added with a smirk. Inigo turned bright red at that statement.

"I don't have a girlfriend!" he shouted, embarrassed. "I gave up chasing skirts after you disappeared!"

"I wonder why only Lucina was able to go and get you this afternoon…" Robin mused. "And why she seemed so embarrassed whilst doing it…" Inigo didn't offer a response, instead turning his head away from his father, but Robin could tell from his posture that he was feeling a little better.

"Anyway," Robin changed the subject, "I'm sure your mother and sister are terribly worried about the two of us, so I feel like we should head back to the barracks now." Inigo nodded in silent agreement, and the two of them stood up to leave. But before they could move anywhere, Inigo, still facing away from Robin, added one final thing.

"Dad?"

"Yes, Inigo?" Robin suddenly had all the air squeezed out of his lungs as his son caught him in a flying hug, latching onto his midriff. From within the folds of the tactician's cloak, a muffled voice could be heard.

"I missed you." Robin just smiled and hugged Inigo back, before looking around the clearing in confusion.

"Umm, which way is it to Ylisstol?"

* * *

This was the second night in a row, Robin mused, that he was walking through Ylisstol after dark. This time, accompanied by his more than proficient son, and his trusted weapons, he was much happier to do so, and was more able to appreciate the true beauty that Ylisstol portrayed at night. It was moving towards the end of summer into spring, and as a result, the fireflies were out in force in the capital. This, combined with a full moon in the sky, resulted in the streets being reasonably well illuminated, making it possible to observe the looming shape of the castle up on the hill, and drawing an observer's eyes up towards the cosmos and its infinite stars. Robin liked to think that each of the stars in the heavens were the soul of a dead warrior. That was how he was able to live with the lives he had to take whilst at war, and the men lost under his command, by staring up at those souls every night and silently praying that they accepted his actions, that they realised he had done what he had out of compassion and a desire to help those he cared about.

Miriel told him that stars were in fact giant balls of gasses suspended in space, and that his idea was silly, but he could still believe. Anyway, she claimed to have an invisible husband. That was hardly scientific!

Robin and Inigo had finally managed to find their way out of the forest, Inigo raising an eyebrow when they passed the smoking corpse of what would once have passed for a bear. Regardless, they had managed to navigate their way almost all the way back to the barracks, where Robin had decided he would spend the night, rather than attempting to fight with the guards again about access to the palace. While he had no doubt they had been instructed to give him walk-in privileges by Frederick, he was in no mood to test that out at this time of the night. Turning at last into more familiar streets, Inigo led his father towards the door of the barracks.

Coming up to the door, Robin went to knock again, but was stopped by Inigo.

"There won't be anyone on duty at this time of the night," he said. "The permanent guarding on the door was Lucina's idea. While she knows that everyone in the city is beginning to accept us, even if they don't believe us, it's nice to have the barracks be an area solely for us. Some of us still aren't exactly used to large groups of people being around, and so having a private area to retire to where there's only the thirteen of us in such a huge series of buildings is a really nice thing." Robin couldn't help but agree. Libra had taken to spending time individually with all the future children in order to assist them with their various issues, in a confidential manner of course. It would seem that growing up in a dystopian future ruled by the literal incarnation of death wasn't particularly good for the mental health. Who would have thought?

Inigo turned back towards the door and retrieved a key from within his tunic. Using it to open the small lock, he motioned Robin inside, and also for him to be quiet. Robin and his son stole through the courtyard, illuminated only by the moon, back towards Morgan's study. Upon entering, they found Olivia sitting, Morgan curled up in her lap, fast asleep. Olivia placed a finger over her lips, indicating that the two men should also be quiet. Seeing his fiancé caring or their child in such a manner really warmed Robin's heart, and almost brought him to tears. He quietly enquired from Inigo as to where Morgan's bedroom was. Learning the direction, he hoisted Morgan's surprisingly light body up, and carried her, bridal-style, to her room. He then lay her down on her bed, and tucked the blankets up to her chin. He decided not to take the cloak off her; if the possessive way she instinctively wrapped herself into a ball, clutching at it, was any indication, she slept with it normally. Both he and Olivia gave her a soft kiss on the forehead, before shutting the door behind them.

Then, they said goodnight to Inigo, who had an emotional hug with his mother, and headed off to their own room for the night. Originally intended as a guest room for visiting members of Regna Ferox's armed forces, it was fairly well outfitted, and, pushing two single beds together, Olivia and Robin were asleep in minutes.

* * *

The next morning, the couple shared breakfast with the new Shepherds, and decided to head back to the castle, but only after promising that they would come and train with the Shepherds in the next few days. Morgan and Inigo were reluctant to let their parents depart so easily, but when Robin promised that they could come and visit the Grandmaster's tower in the afternoon if Lucina would allow them to, they relented.

On the way back to the castle, Robin suggested to Olivia that they stop in at her previous lodgings to collect any belongings that she was attached to. Initially hesitant due to the bad time in her life it represented, Olivia did agree, admitting to Robin that there was one thing she wished she could bring with her, yet wouldn't tell him what it was. They made a small detour to the apartment, and, Robin kicking open the door, entered to retrieve what it was that Olivia desired.

Looking around the singular room, Robin was struck by the poverty in which Olivia had subsisted for such a long time. The room was sparse, devoid of basic amenities and comforts, to the point where the tactician was unsure what it could be that Olivia desired to retrieve. The dancer moved quickly across the stone floor, ignoring the ragged clothing and cheap crockery, heading straight for the desk. Upon the desk sat a small wooden box, nothing particularly fancy, that caused Robin some confusion when it became apparent that the one thing Olivia wished to retrieve was it. However, Robin understood when she opened the lid of the box, displaying a perfectly constructed wooden facsimile of a theatre. Overcome with emotion over the fact that Olivia still had something that meant so much to them, Robin was sorely tempted to take her right there and then, but after a few minutes of heady kissing, they decided that it would be preferable to wait until they returned to the castle.

As such, they left behind Olivia's previous home for the last time, leaving the door open and the possessions scattered on the floor, for anyone that wished to claim them. Skipping happily through the streets, Olivia jumped and twisted, dancing her way under the bright summer sun. She radiated happiness, to the degree that those whom they passed stopped and stared at what could only be described as a beautiful woman, made even more beautiful by the circumstances in which she was to be found, a beaming smile across her face. This time when they got back to the castle, they were let in without a complaint, and began attempting to navigate their way back to their tower. Along the way though, they ran into Sumia, who was bereft of her two younger children, walking happily the opposite way to the couple.

"Hey Sumia," Robin began, "what's got you so happy?" The Queen of the realm replied with a mischievous smile.

"I managed to find an alternate carer for the kids today, so I'm free! On an entirely unrelated note, Chrom might need some assistance in the throne room? He's having audiences right now, and I think it's getting a little out of hand." Robin sighed, he knew where the throne room was, and he was the best person to rescue Chrom. He turned to Olivia, and asked her to head on to their tower, requesting that Sumia show her the way, before making his way through passageways he was far more familiar with in an attempt to find Chrom. He eventually located the door that marked the rear entrance to the audience chamber, Frederick standing guard outside. The wary knight looked relieved to see Robin, quickly waving him in.

Robin entered the audience chamber to quite the scene. Apparently the alternative childcare Sumia had mentioned was the Exalt himself, judging by the fact that Chrom was currently enthralled in bouncing the young Cynthia on his lap, the motion making the young, blue-haired princess giggle in delight. At the same time, Lucina hadn't succeeded in convincing one of the Royal Guards to practice sparring with her, and was currently engaged in whacking her wooden sword against his greaves, each successive hit ringing out with a clanging sound that echoed throughout the spacious hall. Meanwhile, an advisor was attempting to read Chrom an agricultural report on wheat production in Ylisse, and all in all, it was a disaster. Robin walked up next to Chrom and sat down on the step next to the ornate throne. Chrom got the hint, and thanked the advisor for his time, turning to Robin.

"Hard day at the office?" the tactician enquired, smiling at his long-time friend. Chrom replied distractedly.

"It would be if these two weren't so cute," he growled, unable to prevent Cynthia from reaching out and playing with his hair. Robin could easily detect the pride in his friend's voice however, he was so happy with his children. While they sat talking for a minute, the guards at the opposite end of the room had let the next person in, this time a noble. The man rushed towards the throne and stood at a respectful distance. Before launching into a rapid-fire tirade of words.

"Ah it is good to see you, my Exalt, but today I am here to discuss not with you, but with your fine advisor here. Indeed I have a proposal for you, young man, a proposal that any man in the realm would be lucky to have put before them. My name is Lord Fenner, and I am delighted to offer to you, Sir Robin, my daughter's hand in marriage. She has been well-educated and possesses all the sophisticated charms befitting a lady of her station, and is perfectly suited to be the future wife of such a strong and extraordinary contributor to Ylisse. And I'm sure you won't find her hard on the eyes either." Robin grimaced at the end of this stream of consonants. He and Olivia had not really been particularly famous before the Shepherds exploits were made known following the end of the second war against Plegia. As such, whilst both of them were well-known individually, the fact that they were engaged was not at all known among anyone outside of the Shepherds themselves. There had never been any point in spreading the information, considering they had always intended to get married after the wars were finished. Nonetheless, it was impressive how quickly the nobles had got to work in an attempt to secure influence with the emergence of a new powerful person in the court.

"My thanks for your most generous offer," Robin began, somewhat hesitantly. "However, I am already promised to another, and it would be remiss of me to negate that promise. I hope you understand." The Lord's face could best be described as crestfallen, however, he attempted a smooth recovery.

"Well, if it pleases you sir, might I know the name of such a woman that could capture the heart of such a man as yourself." This was delivered with somewhat of a sneer, perhaps accompanied by thoughts directed towards whatever noble had secured this man's hand before him. Robin, however, not put off by Chrom's silent laughter beside him, again attempted to respond politely.

"My fiancé's name is Olivia, and she was a fellow member of the Shepherds with me." At the name, the man's face paled. Olivia was fairly well known throughout Ylisse, tales of her exotic beauty and skilled dancing travelling far. As a result, it was immediately apparent to the noble that he wasn't to be successful in his venture, and he beat a hasty retreat. Robin's face was ashen. He was not impressed with the noble's self-serving attempt to win influence, and the now-hysterical laughter of the Exalt beside him did little to improve his demeanour. He turned to Chrom.

"If you might excuse me, I have some business to attend to," he said, overdoing the respectfulness in an attempt to get under Chrom's skin. Chrom however, was still laughing, almost doubled over in the throne. Robin tried again.

"Right, I'll leave you to it, you dastard! Have fun with the rest of your afternoon!"

"I could set the Royal Guards on you!" Chrom called out jokingly.

"I could tell your wife that you're letting your daughter continuously practice her swordplay on a Royal Guard's leg!" Robin called back as he moved towards the exit. He paused by the door, He leaned down, correcting Lucina's technique in how she swung the blade, looking apologetically at the Royal Guard whose mouth was grit in firm determination, before heading out the door. He bid a hasty farewell to Frederick, before rushing through the corridors in an attempt to get back to their living quarters with some degree of rapidity. Approaching the tower, he burst in through the door, left unlocked, and locked it quickly behind him. Not seeing his fiancé on the first floor, he called out.

"Olivia!" He headed over to the stairs and began climbing up to the second storey. "Olivia!" he repeated, "I've got some important news…" his shouting stopped when he reached the second floor, designed for Olivia to practice her dancing. Lying in the sun in the middle of the floor was a bundle of clothes containing the dancer. Evidently she had decided that more sleep was what she needed today, and that sleeping on the warm wooden floor in the middle of the room was the best place to do so. The curled up manner in which she was asleep belied Robin's nicknaming her a cat. However, his shouting had seemed to wake her up, as she blearily rubbed her eyes and turned towards him.

"What is it?" she asked him, tiredly. Robin responded gently, with a wide smile.

"We need to get married. Soon."

* * *

 **A/N- Well I'm back! This one took a long time to get right, because there were so many key aspects I wanted to get into it. Inigo's conversation with a mysterious figure, who I'm sure you all recognise; Robin and Olivia playing Mum and Dad; and a healing of their family. Furthermore, I really enjoyed writing the scene with Robin and Chrom's banter, and believe me, there will be plenty more of that as the story progresses. Those two are impossible together!**

 **This chapter concludes the first arc of the story, what I've thought of as the 'Introductory' or 'Return Arc'. Now everything's been established I can start to work on some of the more original ideas I've drafted for this story, which is an exciting prospect in itself. Anyway, I'm going to respond to a few comments down below here, so if you want yours to be responded to in the future, leave me a comment below!**

 **Shipmeister's Humouresque- Thanks for being one of my most prolific commenters. I always enjoy writing Olivia, because I feel like, even within the game, her character is fairly driven. Think about her supports with Lon'qu, where she gets more bold as she gets to know him better. That's how I see her with Robin, very comfortable with him because they know each other so well.**

 **She Who is Woe- Another prolific commenter. I'm glad you like the injection of some angst, after all, it can't be sunshine and rainbows all the time. As to the nobles, I don't think they're necessarily all bad, more like they get caught up in the emotion of the events.**

 **UglyFuhrer- I think Robin is perfectly good-looking, however, when compared to Olivia, I'm fairly confident most guys would fade from the limelight. Just something about her exotic looks and pink hair.**

 **On the topic of the bizarre hair colours of the Shepherds, I'm intending to address that at some point in the future, I read a story once that had a great reasoning for its existence, so I might borrow a few ideas from that.**

 **The next arc of the story is the 'Wedding Arc' which will be as full of shenanigans as you can imagine, so stay tuned! And feel free to drop any suggestions or comments in the reviews below, I really love reading them. In particular, any ideas for scenes or chapters I could add to the story would be greatly appreciated.**

 **Until next time!**

 **S.**


	9. Chapter 9: Planning

**Chapter Nine: Planning**

Olivia blinked slowly, looking up at him with sleepy eyes as the weight of his words sank into her. Letting out a little yawn, she pushed herself up off the ground, blearily rubbing her face. She was taking so long in responding that Robin was begging to get nervous. He stood at the top of the staircase, nervously vibrating, akin to a sword that had just been struck against another. Olivia responded evenly.

"Well, of course. I was hardly wanting to wait." She looked at him as if this was the most obvious thing in the world, to the point where Robin became mildly uncomfortable.

"It's not like I was trying to delay or anything!" he backpedalled, struck by the vast awkwardness of the situation into which he had got himself. "It's just that I hadn't really thought about it, what with coming back and moving into the castle and everything. And then there was Inigo and Morgan and then I was made some really important person or something and I don't want you to think that I didn't want to do it, because I do! But we have to do it soon!" Robin was babbling, literally vocalising every thought that came into his head. Olivia just watched, a small smirk of amusement the only indication of any ulterior agenda.

"Well that's absolutely fine with me, darling. But what is it that made you so worried about this now? Shouldn't you be working or something? It is the middle of the day after all, and I know you're very important." Robin was far too worked up to realise that his fiancé was mocking him ever so slightly. His expression became an uncomfortable strained one when Olivia questioned him like this, however, he felt that he owed it to her to tell the truth.

"Well," he began hesitantly. Olivia looked on expectantly. "I sort of had a noble come and propose his daughter's hand in marriage to me this morning…" The tactician's voice trailed off towards the end of his sentence in concert with his head turning down towards the wooden floor. As such, he missed the glint in Olivia's eye.

"Oh no!" she expressed. "We can't have that! Well we simply must get married very soon then! After all, perish the thought that I should ever lose you to another woman! I mean, what if there was a noble who was so very comely, and had a lovely figure and would happily sit inside and sew every day? However would I compete! I agree with you completely, we simply must be wed post-haste!" Robin's face turned white with fear at Olivia's insinuation.

"I would never…there isn't…I couldn't…it's not possible…" he stuttered his way through many different inceptions to sentences, before settling on one. "There isn't anyone better than you," he concluded lamely, his normally silver tongue reduced to one of lead. Robin, not realising the hole he was digging for himself, continued to stumble onwards, blindly. "After all, you're beautiful and elegant and umm, you're good at other things too," he finished. Olivia raised an eyebrow at the implication of that statement, but decided to let it slide, after all, he was struggling enough already.

"Well that's lovely to hear, I'm glad you approve. Now if you're finished justifying why I'm so amazing, shouldn't you be talking to someone else if this wedding needs to happen soon? After all, your best friend is the Exalt, and presumably you need to get his help?" Robin nodded mutely, apparently deciding, wisely in Olivia's eyes, to refrain from any further utterances that might get him into further trouble. Instead he mumbled a hasty goodbye under his breath before running downstairs, and out the door of their tower, leaving Olivia standing there in the room. Satisfied that he was gone, Olivia let out a peal of laughter to the heavens. She felt almost as if she could quote Robin himself, it was nice when a plan came together! Maybe Morgan had taught her something in the fifteen battles she'd lost the previous night.

Olivia brushed down her hair, and straightened out her clothing from her nap. Today she was wearing a light blue sarong and matching blue dancer's pants, designed to be as comfortable as possible. She had taken a page out of Sumia's book as well, and had decided to wear underclothes; a darker blue set with a perhaps excessive amount of floral embroidery, that were so transparent she may as well not have been wearing any. She looked down at her ample chest, and decided that she liked the way they felt though; both sexy, but also supported.

Heading downstairs herself, she locked the door to the tower behind her, taking the key and slipping it into a hidden pocket in her pants, before skipping off down the long hallway, whistling to herself as if she hadn't a care in the world.

* * *

 _Two hours earlier…_

A sharp rap on the door of the tower sounded. Olivia was confused, who could it possibly be? Robin had gone to look for Chrom, and unless he had got really lost, shouldn't be back quite so soon. She wasn't expecting any visitors, so she warily made her way to the door and slowly opened it, stepping back as she did so in order to give herself space if need be. At the door stood the Queen, dressed simply in a light grey dress, an easy smile on her face. Olivia invited her in.

Sumia explained the situation to Olivia. With Robin's return now accepted, nobles were scrambling to dress up their daughters in an attempt to marry them off to him. This was as much Olivia's fault as anyone's, she hadn't wanted to publicise the news of her and Robin's engagement beyond the Shepherds. As such, many of the nobles would assume Robin was single and thus ripe for the marrying. Sumia had come to ask what Olivia wanted Chrom to do with these people.

Her initial instinct was to send them away, however, she quickly realised that they could serve her needs. Thus, instead of requesting that they be politely turned away, she made a different request to Sumia. The woman was initially surprised, but upon hearing Olivia's reasoning, expressed her support for the idea. After all, she'd used some slightly underhanded techniques herself to win Chrom over. For someone who fell a lot, a couple of extra falls around the prince himself weren't unsurprising, and it was just bad fortune that she happened to land in a puddle… Long story short, Olivia was in luck. Sumia hurried off, ready to prepare Chrom for what he had to do. Olivia, expecting her husband in a few hours, decided to take a nap.

So what if she was playing dirty? She'd been waiting to be married for almost four years now! After all, Robin owed it to her anyway, he'd left her! She smiled to herself as she lay down on the surprisingly comfortable wooden floor, preparing for a light sleep.

Her life certainly had taken a turn for the better.

* * *

Robin hurried back to the audience chamber. He seemed to recall that Chrom had informed him of the daily proceedings of the court, and his recollection indicated that it should be getting reasonably close to the time for the general meeting with the nobles. Much to Chrom's, and by extension Robin's, dismay, this activity was slated to occur daily, quite simply due to the fact that very little was achieved during each of the meetings. Some of the guards had a wager going on how long it would take before each meeting descended into fisticuffs, which Chrom had been known to take part in, more often than perhaps his wife would have approved of.

Robin was still getting used to the process of being an official member of Chrom's court. He'd scarcely been back for two days and was already required at various meetings, organising his wedding and had killed a bear! Robin let out a low sigh. So much for the relaxing, laid-back lifestyle he'd envisioned upon the end of the war. The good news was that he was slowly coming to understand the layout of the castle keep, and his navigational ability, sans Lucina, was starting to improve. As such, the tactician felt confident that he could successfully make his way from his tower to the audience chamber, and after a series of wrong turns, he arrived, just in time to see Sumia wandering out, holding the baby Cynthia, with a somewhat dejected Lucina trailing behind, her sword dragging on the ground.

"Sumia!" Robin called out in amicable greeting, raising his hand in a friendly gesture towards the Queen. Sumia responded with a tired smile; that of a parent kept awake all night by the incessant demands of their child.

"Oh hi there Robin," Sumia responded, distractedly bouncing Cynthia in her arms a bit. "How's your day been going?" she continued, making polite conversation and deliberately ignoring Lucina's glowering look towards the floor.

"A bit stressful, but I imagine that's hardly going to get any better. Has the meeting started?"

"Not yet," Sumia replied, "though I imagine it can't be too far off. At least I managed to get a morning off without the kids!" she smiled warmly at Robin. At this point, the tactician noted the riding clothes the Queen was wearing and the light sheen of sweat coating her skin.

"Out practicing, I see," he commented slyly. Sumia looked a little embarrassed as she replied.

"Well, it wouldn't do for the Queen to lose her touch, and besides, Clavius needs to be ridden every so often, and otherwise he gets fat with apples!" Robin smiled to himself at the thought of the ornery Pegasus becoming stuffed with his favourite fruit. He directed his attention to the sullen princess standing behind her mother.

"What's going on with this one?"

"I'm taking her to 'Princess School', as she calls it, and she's not exactly thrilled about the prospect." Robin nodded to himself in response, and momentarily pondered what he could say. After a brief pause, he leant down next to Lucina, who looked at him stonily when he motioned for her to come close so that he could whisper to her. He moved close to her ear and began.

"If you behave really well and go to your lessons without a complaint, I promise that later on, I'll teach you how to use magic…" Lucina's eyes widened, as Robin continued. "But you have to be very good, and don't tell your mother about it!" Lucina nodded to Robin, and her expression markedly improved. Robin stood back up, his finger over his lips as he moved towards the entrance to the audience chamber. Sumia looked at him quizzically.

"What did you promise?" she asked, a suspicious undercurrent present in her tone. Robin merely smiled and shrugged, before opening the door to the chamber and moving inside, leaving a confused mother and a far happier child, who was now waving her sword around in excitement and quite bizarrely to her mother, making odd gestures with her other hand. Sumia just sighed to herself, Robin and Chrom really were alike, no wonder they were such good friends. Sumia bundled her kids along, moving towards their lessons, though as she did she remembered, she had one stop to make first…

* * *

Inside the audience chamber, the mood of the guards and the Exalt was palpable. Chrom sat, lounging on his throne, leaning his head on one of the arms. Frederick stood behind and to the left, pinching his temples, clearly suffering from quite the headache, and the other guards were in various states of dishevelment. Robin noted a chair placed next to Chrom's, and moved towards his friend to enquire as to his role in the upcoming proceedings. The Exalt perked up upon seeing his Grandmaster enter, and beckoned Robin to come sit next to him. Seating himself on the relatively comfortable chair next to Chrom, Robin turned to face the Exalt.

"Kill me noooooooow," Chrom whined, every ounce a child in that moment. Robin just rolled his eyes. While Chrom was certainly a fantastically gallant leader on the battlefield, and quite the apt speechmaker when he needed to be, the day-to-da political side of the halidom was something that he had never enjoyed. It was moments like these that he most wished he could be more like Emmeryn. Robin mockingly replied to the blue-haired man.

"Oh, but sire! The realm has need of you! After all, should you not be here, who would entertain Frederick?" Frederick glared at Robin in response, but Chrom huffed in indignant amusement. The nobles were beginning to file in in the single least efficient process possible, with squabbles erupting constantly as to whose seat was whose and other such petty matters. Robin observed Lord Riegel entering, or rather, being carried in on the backs of many unfortunate attendants. However, once the lords and ladies were all seated, Robin did notice one particular person was missing. The column up the back where Elohim had been the previous day was noticeably bare, and Chrom seemed to realise it too. He sighed even louder, before standing, as a signal to start the meeting.

"Hey everyone, thanks for the relatively quick way in which you arrived. We're only starting this meeting an hour or so late, which is pretty good, really. Now before we get onto the trivial inconveniences each of you are experiencing…" several of the crowd bristled at that, but Chrom continued unabated, "…I have some important news for today. Now, yesterday I announced that Robin was back and that he would be promoted to the position of Grandmaster. Evidently, many of you saw that as an opportunity to further increase your own status within the court, but I'm here to announce that since Robin is actually engaged, those attempts are in vain."

There were varied responses among the congregated people. Some were quite obviously disappointed, as indicated by their swearing, while others were bemused, whispering excitedly to their neighbours about who could possibly be wedding the Grandmaster, and some still clearly didn't care about the matter whatsoever. Chrom ploughed onwards.

"To stop rumours from spreading, this wasn't a case of the first one of you was successful, rather, he was actually engaged for about a year before we even defeated Grima. This woman isn't a noble, rather she is a dancer from Regna Ferox, and a member of the Shepherds. Her name is Olivia, and she has received commendation from the crown for her key role in several wars." A rumble of recognition passed through the assembled crowd. Evidently some of the nobles recognised the name. Once the noise level had settled down to a low shouting, Chrom brought attention back to him again.

"Okay, with that matter out of the way, let's get to the part you've all been waiting for…"

With that, the meeting began in earnest, the nobles speaking, ostensibly one after another, but in reality over the top of each other, about their various complaints. These mostly took the form of complaining about something or other that was bothering them, though very occasionally a policy would be proposed or something actually constructive. Chrom supervised with dispassionate authority, referring matters to Robin for comment. Lacking any form of political wiles, Robin endeavoured to respond to each point honestly and at face value. All it took in the end was a final comment about how a noble house was stealing from another, and the meeting was over. Fists flew and many began to leave, Chrom and Robin deciding to join them. What had lasted an hour felt like an eternity, and the two left the room, exhausted.

Robin was perplexed. Surely, this level of complacency and disrespect wasn't common in other noble regions in the world? Why did meetings struggle to occur in a somewhat orderly fashion? Robin directed these thoughts towards Chrom as they wandered aimlessly through the castle. The Exalt responded dryly.

"Well, I suppose it's a series of things that are the problem. Firstly, whenever you get so many people together in one place that all have such strong opinions, it's always going to be a little messy. Couple that with the fact that it's very hard to control the nobles' behaviour, as we can hardly have the Royal Guards whacking the ones that don't follow the rules." Chrom's face indicated that this would be something that he would like very much.

"The second issue is that many of the nobles there were promoted to that status under the reign of my father. When he was seeking support for his war against Plegia, he made many different families into nobility in order to gain their support. Not only did this lower the class of the nobles present, but it also vastly increased their number. And my father was not exactly the greatest judge of character either…" Robin considered the dilemma. Surely there was a way that many of these problems could be avoided? After turning over several ideas in his head, one began to take shape that was far superior to the others.

He turned to Chrom, who recognised the expression Robin's visage put forth immediately. The Exalt smiled.

"I knew you'd come up with something, you always do," Robin replied.

"I've got an idea, but it will require you and me to brainstorm a little and send out some messages."

"We'd better go to my office, then," Chrom concluded.

* * *

A sharp knock on the door sounded for the third time that day. Olivia huffed in frustration. Surely people knew to leave her alone? After all, she was trying to get some sleep! Lovely as it had been to spend time with her children, none could deny that the beds in the barracks paled in comparison to the one in their tower. And it wasn't like they'd been getting a lot of sleep lately anyway…

The dancer was shaken from her reverie by a second knock on the door, this time accompanied by muffled voices from the other side. Olivia sighed and made her way downstairs. Perhaps, she contemplated, they should obtain a sign telling people not to disturb them? Crossing the warm floor on bare feet, she pulled open the heavy oak door to find the Queen of Ylisse standing outside, accompanied by her two younger children. Olivia smiled at her co-conspirator.

"So! Tell me!" the Queen started anxiously. "How did it go?" Olivia's answer was easily marked by the smile that spread across her features, but she replied nonetheless.

"He bought it; hook, line and sinker," she said, her voice taking on a slightly more confident tone than previously. This constantly forced social interaction was resulting in an increasingly outgoing personality by proxy. Sumia was rapt with the result. She took a great deal of delight in artfully matchmaking, and a number of the relationships in the Shepherds were the result of her careful planning about who would work well together. With Robin and Olivia, however, she didn't need to intervene, those two had found each other entirely of their own accord. But when Olivia had asked for her help in setting up a mechanism to speed up the nuptial process, she was more than happy to help.

While Sumia and Olivia gravitated towards two small couches on one side of the circular room to continue their conversation, Cynthia in the arms of her mother, Lucina wandered around, somewhat aimlessly, before deciding to continue practicing her sword technique. She had a clear memory of what Robin had promised her, but had also promised not to tell her mother about it, so while she didn't make any obvious gestures, she did work in some gestures that she thought looked like magical ones in between strikes, when her mother wasn't looking of course.

"So how are you liking your new tower?" Sumia asked, making polite conversation. Olivia replied, somewhat sheepishly.

"I really like it, it's just such a change from what I'm used to."

"I understand where you're coming from," Sumia replied. "When I first moved into the castle it was a shock for me as well; a big step up from the Pegasus Knight's barracks!" Olivia nodded in agreement as Sumia continued.

"Oh! Did I get your size right for the clothes? You and I are about the same size, so I just got some brought that was meant for me." Olivia was touched by the Queen's generosity. Yes, since she was the Queen, she did have reasonable access to large amounts of apparel, but to give her items from her own personal collection was a touching consideration.

"Yeah! It all fits me! Though, there's so much of it that I'm sure I won't be able to get through it all in a lifetime!" Olivia responded lightly. Sumia nodded in response.

"Better to have too much than not enough!" she responded amicably. "Now," she continued, "have you found the secret extra wardrobe?" This question was accompanied by a leaning forward and the spreading of a sly smile on her lips. Olivia couldn't help but blush in response.

"Y-yes," she stuttered a little in response. Sumia chose to ignore that and ploughed on with her explanation.

"Well, I thought that it might be some fun for the two of you! After all, Robin's a guy, and I'm sure he's looked at the other members of the Shepherds in that way before. And I believe you aren't just trained in dancing, no?" Olivia nodded in response, Feroxi performers weren't just trained as dancers, but as singers and actors as well.

"In that case then, you shouldn't have any problem acting like any of our members! And I think I included enough makeup and wigs and stuff to ensure that you can account for all of us." Olivia responded nervously.

"But, I d-definitely saw one for you in there? Isn't that a little weird? Like what would Chrom do if he found out?" Sumia responded casually.

"Oh, he won't find out! And if I know you, I imagine you'll enjoy the performance just as much as Robin will. As for the costume of me, well I suppose I don't mind, it's kind of flattering really. And I'm sure Robin's ogled me once or twice," she jested, causing Olivia to blush even darker red, stuttering out protestations. Sumia turned towards the door.

"Anyway, I'd better head off; I've got to get this one to etiquette class," she said, nodding towards Lucina. Olivia rose from her seat and helped them out the door, Sumia turning for one last word before she continued on with her day.

"I expect to hear about what you get up to with that closet though. Don't be shy! I want all the details…" Olivia's face could hardly get any more red, as she stuttered out some illegible reply, before shutting the door. Sumia smirked to herself. For all the dancer's protestations, the Queen was sure that the contents of the wardrobe would absolutely be used. On that topic, she thought about what she should do for Chrom that night. It had been a while since the maid…

* * *

Robin shifted in his low stance, the position unfamiliar after such a period away from combat. His trusted Levin Sword had been foregone for a wooden training sword, and Chrom stood in a similar position, on the opposite end of the ring. Robin was a little confused as to how he'd ended up in this situation, after all, he and Chrom had been planning for the idea he'd had, but then Chrom had decided that they should get in some sparring while they awaited the arrival of the guests.

Sending messages to the invitees had been surprisingly easy. Apparently Miriel had been hard at work in the previous two years, and had implemented a message delivery system throughout the castle, made up of a series of interconnected pipes. All one had to do was place the message inside a small capsules, place the capsule in the tube that led to the appropriate destination, and give it a blast of Wind magic, and the message would shoot off to wherever it was aimed. However, for a few of the guests, messages had to be sent outside the castle grounds. One message was different however, as Chrom headed outside onto a balcony, before retrieving an ancient, gigantic bow. He attached the message to an arrow, before drawing the string and sending it flying off, over the city and into the forest outside Ylisstol, trailing smoke over its huge journey.

When Robin questioned how a bow could possibly shoot an arrow a distance of what seemed to be at least three standard battlefields, Chrom simply replied that the bow was a family heirloom, which was enchanted to give it extra power and distance. As a result, with time to kill, the tactician and the Exalt had ended up where they used to go in their spare time, the sparring field. It had been years since they'd fought, and while Robin's skill was dulled by his time away from the discipline, Chrom still trained on a weekly basis.

As such, Robin was not expectant for this match, in fact he rather thought he would end up on his back fairly quickly. Thus, when Chrom suddenly charged forwards towards him, his blade raised, Robin felt a sense of dread creeping down his spine. Even at his best, the tactician could scarcely obtain one victory in ten matches. Robin thrust his sword out in front of him in order to block the incoming blow, his arms tensed in order to receive the weight of it. However, Chrom sensed this tension and quickly switched his attacking sides, swinging his blade at Robin's left flank.

The tactician noticed this far too late to parry it neatly, and swung his blade to protect him in a shuddering arc, the impact ringing through his arms and up into his shoulders. He scarcely had time to recover before an overhanded strike was aimed towards his head, one that he negotiated with a step sideways. As the blade whistled past his ear, Robin realised that Chrom wasn't pulling his blows. The grin on his face indicated why, he was testing Robin, to see what he still had in him.

Noting this, Robin began to form a plan, his mind whirring in overdrive as he fought to stay afoot under the onslaught of blows being rained down on him. If Chrom was attempting to test him, then surely he would be trying out a slew of different moves. In that case, it would only be a matter of time before…Robin's train of thought was interrupted once more, as he rolled out of the way of a particularly vicious jab. So far, he had only been nicked by a few strikes, but hadn't been able to respond with any attacking action of his own.

Chrom, for his part, seemed to be quite enjoying himself. There weren't many left in the castle that would willingly spar with him, and even fewer that would actually try, for fearing of injuring him. This left him with Frederick and Lon'qu primarily, so a new, or rather revitalised, opponent was much appreciated. The maelstrom of strikes continued, but Chrom was beginning to become worried by the gritted teeth and concentrated brow of his opponent. He knew that look, Robin had something planned.

Their fight was gathering attention, many of the maids stopping to watch, as well as an increasing number of knights and other various people wandering through the castle. A match between the Exalt and his newly appointed Grandmaster was not a sight to be missed. The sounds of clashing blades, dulled due to their wooden makeup, rang out through the training ground, adding to the grunts of exertion of the two men. Anticipation filled the air, as the pattern of Chrom attacking and Robin defending industriously, but barely hanging on, couldn't keep up forever.

A slight step back was all the indication Robin needed. He knew what was coming next. After all, Chrom may have strength and skill and experience on his side, but Robin had cunning, somewhat underhanded, tactics. The Exalt, with no more than a tensing of the legs, sprung into what might be considered his signature move, a high leaping somersault, concluding in a heavy strike towards the opponent's body. Rather than dodge to the side, Robin moved in towards the falling man, aiming to make his action go too far forwards. Robin raised his blade directly up, hoping the Exalt would fall directly onto it, granting him the victory.

For the briefest of moments, Robin saw the flash in Chrom's eyes, the recognition of his impending defeat. Robin began to feel the excitement building in his chest. However, with a sudden flurry of movement, and a painful crash into his chest, Robin was sprawled on the ground, Chrom leaning on top of him, his knee on Robin's chest the blade at his throat. Robin's blade span away through the air, coming to rest in the dust a few metres away. Chrom looked at Robin quizzically, with an undercurrent of mischief.

"You almost had me there! Maybe next time?" This was accompanied by the man getting up and offering his hand to the defeated Robin, one eyebrow raised. Robin responded by grasping the hand and pulling himself up.

"That's fine, but I'll be winning next time!"

* * *

The path ahead of the travelling pair was long and made of dirt. Some might have considered the scene idyllic, green grass, blue skies punctuated by puffy white clouds. A travelling merchant astride a carriage, pulled by a large horse, and warrior accompanying her, walking alongside. However, one listening into their conversation may not have reached the same interpretation.

"Naga, woman! Why do we have to go so far? It's not as if you couldn't sell this stuff in a city somewhere!"

"Oh, but that wouldn't be any fun! The joy is the journey, after all. And I couldn't get anywhere near as good prices for these in a big city; it's the small town folk who pay the most for trinkets."

"Can we at least take a break?" the man asked. "We've been moving for hours!"

"I'm not tired at all, though," the woman replied lightly, before bringing the horse to a stop after hearing the warrior's audible growling. They broke out their water skins, taking long draughts from them. The woman's ears pricked at the sound of muttering under the breath, as the warrior grumbled to himself.

"…not good to spend time with…why am I even here…worthless excuse for a…frustrating little…"

"That's not the tune you were singing last night!" the woman called out lightly, a wink so obvious as to be audible in her exclamation. This only caused the man's anger to increase as he turned and barrelled towards the merchant. The woman wasn't prepared for this, and turned around to find herself pushed over onto the ground with a thud, the wind being knocked out of her. Her face was tickled by the shoulder-length blue locks of her companion, who looked down at her, the sneer on his face melting into a clouded expression that even the experienced seller couldn't decipher.

The man sat up, allowing the woman to do the same. They sat, cross-legged in the grass, both breathing heavily, the warrior looking up at the clouds wistfully.

"Naga! You annoy me sometimes," he exclaimed, his tone lighter and less irate.

"Well, I wouldn't want to be boring!" the woman chirped back, her tone jubilant, but her eyes narrowing, there was something a little off about him today. The warrior turned to face her, his eyes still unreadable. He took a deep breath before continuing.

"You really do get on my nerves sometimes, but I can't deny that you're enjoyable to spend time with…" The woman was waiting for a punchline, some joke that would justify his odd behaviour.

"…so, will you marry me?" he finished. The woman was ready to laugh, even out of pity for whatever joke he was about to make, but her voice caught in her throat. What? Marry? Suddenly she could hear her heart pounding inside her head, and her thoughts raced at a million miles an hour, the warrior looking on at her expectantly. But even without needing to think through the consequences, her answer was clear, and for a very rare occasion, the reply was not a biting comeback or putdown. It wasn't eloquent, or cheeky, or anything like that. It was simply one word, delivered with a tear in the eye.

"Yes."

With that, the warrior flung himself at the woman, meeting her halfway, their lips crashing together in a jumbled mess of emotions. Panting, they rolled about on the grass, obsessed with just being as close to each other as possible, before they ceased, breathless, lying on their backs and looking up at the clouds. His right hand rested in her left. On this occasion, no words were needed, they just lay peacefully by each other's side.

Their restful reprise was interrupted however, by a rustling from the bushes on the side of the road, and a slow clapping, as a figure made his way out of the woods on the side of the path. The clapping continued at its slow pace, as the warrior raised his head inquisitively. He saw a young man, dressed entirely in blue and green travelling clothes, an axe in his right hand, and a large wrapped bundle on his back. The warrior, seeing the bared axe, sprung to his feet, drawing the great sword that was slung over his back. The other man continued unabated.

"Well firstly, eww, I really didn't need to see that. Seriously, can't you two control yourselves? Secondly, finally! Naga! The two of you took forever! I've been following you for months! Do you have any idea how frustrating it's been?"

"Who are you?" the warrior challenged.

"Oh sorry, I thought that would be obvious," the man replied, gesturing towards his blue hair.

"I'm Hector. Your son."

* * *

 **A/N- And we're back! The first chapter of the 'Marriage Arc'! In which Olivia is revealed to have been a little bit sneaky in her planning, Robin and Chrom are planning something and Sumia's plans to spice up our main couple's love life is explained. Naming these chapters is actually so much fun. Also, we see the continuation of a very minor detail from Chapter Two, which is always something I intended to readdress. Props to anyone who knows where the name Hector comes from by the way, let me know if you do!**

 **On the topic of the 'mysterious cupboard of plot devices', this ties in to the Lemon series I'm planning. The first chapter is underway, and you should be able to expect it within a week or so. To make a few things clear, this series occurs in the universe of 'You Raise Me Up', and will feature Robin and Olivia, but in more explicit scenes that might seem out of place in this story. This way, if you wish to read the lemon scenes, feel free to do so, but they are not essential to the overall story in any way, so if that's not your kind of thing, you won't need to read them at all in order to get a fully encompassed story. Anyway onto some replies to reviews!**

 **xXDeathKittenXx- I'm glad you're enjoying! I think that the cutest character is baby Lucina, I always smile when I write her.**

 **She Who is Woe- Thanks again for reviewing, as one of my most prolific reviewers I'm so grateful for your support! Yes, the wedding occurring soon wasn't something I originally planned, but it sort of evolved organically, so I figured why not?**

 **Unnamed Guest- I'm sorry I don't know who you are, but you raise a good point. I think I've been fairly subtle (as in very un-subtle) in dropping some hints about Inigo's love life.**

 **RedNephilim- Another of my loyal reviewers, thanks for your support! I love this idea, and I think I'll use it. After all, there's plenty of alcohol at a wedding…**

 **Thanks to all of you who read and review! I'm still developing the ideas for this arc, so if you have any ideas, feedback or suggestions, I'd love to hear from you! Incidentally, we just reached over 50 Followers on this story and I couldn't be happier! Thank you so much to all of you, you have no idea how much it means to me to have your support!**

 **Until next time!**

 **S.**


	10. Chapter 10: Improvement

**Chapter 10- Improvement**

Robin shifted uncomfortably in his heavy cloak. It had not been his finest idea to take Chrom up on a bout just before they had to sit down at a meeting for a couple of hours. He could feel the sweat pooling in the small of his back and at the waistband of his trousers. Perhaps next time they should change beforehand? Robin sat, considering the potential benefit of a bathing facility nearby to the training grounds, as he let his eyes wander around the meeting room. This was his grand idea, a way in which Chrom's dislike for and distrust of meeting with all the nobles at once could be alleviated.

Robin had suggested replacing that daily meeting with a different daily meeting, and relegating all the nobles to once a week. This would perhaps be initially unpopular, the nobles feeling as if they're voices aren't being heard, but Chrom had assured him that most of the nobles simply didn't wish to be there, and only showed up because it was considered appropriate to do so. The daily meetings had been something his father had implemented, and that Emmeryn had not had the heart to change. So, Robin and Chrom had hashed out an idea for a replacement for this meeting, and reached this, hence why the two of them were sitting at a large rectangular table. Sitting might have been the wrong word however, Chrom was reclining back, his feet on the table and rocking back on his chair ever so slightly, a low lilting whistle coming from his pursed lips. Robin sat hunched over forwards, still trying to catch his breath.

So the group they had decided to put together was cautiously being called the Special Advisory Council to the Exalt. Robin had envisioned it as a group of Chrom's closest advisors who he trusted, who could be relied upon to provide wise and sensible advice, rather than what would get them the most out of it. This would allow more topics to be more sensibly discussed and much more to be covered in a shorter period of time, making the process much more efficient, and reducing the risk of Chrom tearing all his hair out. Another matter the two had discussed was who should be on the Council. They recognised that not everyone would always be able to be there, but they had decided upon a small group whose advice Chrom thought worthwhile.

So, the two of them sat there, or lounged as the case may be, waiting for their guests to arrive. The first of the members of the Council was already there, Frederick standing waiting by the door to let the other members in upon arrival. This hadn't been a hard decision on the part of the two friends. Frederick was the head of the Royal Guards, which meant that most decisions affected him, especially about royal travel. In addition to this, he had protected Chrom and Lissa all their lives, and provided much wise counsel during the wars of the past few years. As such, he was an invaluable member of the group. While he'd been a little flustered when asked, he had quickly accepted. If his Exalt thought he could be of further assistance, he would drop everything to do so. One would be hard pressed to find a more loyal individual than our Frederick.

The second member that the two had agreed upon fairly easily was Sumia. While her noble heritage was somewhat in dispute, she had grown up into a wise and mature Queen. The pair realised that she wouldn't be comin to every meeting, namely due to insisting on looking after the two children primarily herself, as if to make up for her absentee parents. This had been Robin's idea, and Chrom had been eager. He relied upon Sumia not just for comfort and support, but for advice. They would often lie in bed as he would ask her opinion on an idea he had, or bemoan something that had irked him. As such, she would be a calm head in a room that had the potential to get firey. She was on her way over to the room now.

A knock at the door sounded, and the first person to arrive stepped inside. An idea of Robin's, he had suggested the Captain of the Pegasus Knights, Cordelia. Pegasus Knights held a long tradition in Ylisse, and were very culturally important, thus, this should be respected. To become a Pegasus Knight was a great honour, and they were well regarded in society as being honourable and fair. Also their policy of only accepting women, apparently due to issues with the Pegasi bonding with men, Robin had learned, had given them a sense of mystique. In addition, Cordelia was a seasoned commander and experienced negotiator, and thus should be able to provide some shrewd insights. She smiled broadly upon seeing the two men in somewhat dishevelled clothing, Robin still lightly panting.

"Well, I can't say I'm surprised you two, but Chrom what will your wife think?" she teased the Exalt. A close personal friend of Sumia's Cordelia had become very close to their family. Chrom just raised his hand in the air in a tired, dismissive motion. Cordelia smirked upon seeing this, before turning to Robin.

"Ah, the master tactician! It is good to see you. I know you've only been back a couple of days, but I'm glad to be able to see you in person, it is a little bizarre seeing a dead man returned. Nonetheless, it's good to have you back. Now when are you going to marry that poor fiancé of yours?" she asked him pointedly, narrowing her eyes. Robin, under pressure, responded.

"Well, we've already talked about it, and Sumia was so kind as to organise the wedding planner that had planned their wedding, whose going to come and meet with us in a couple of days. It's spring at the moment, so we're thinking in about a month, at the start of summer?" Cordelia's face lit up with excitement, she did love a wedding. She opened her mouth, as if to reply, before suddenly turning in a flash of movement, faster than Robin's eye could track, towards the stoic guard who'd been standing behind her, watching their conversation. Out of nowhere, a knife appeared in her hand aimed at Frederick's throat. In an equally quick flash, however, Frederick raised his arm, catching Cordelia's hand in his own, before twisting it behind her back, making her drop the knife. Robin, in a state of shock, turned to Chrom, who waved away his concern.

"Oh, don't worry about it, they do it all the time," he said. "So long as they don't break anything again," he continued, referring to an occasion when Cordelia's attempt at riding her Pegasus indoors had resulted in some broken lights, "I really don't mind. I think it's just how they express their love for each other." Cordelia, disentangling herself, turned to give her husband a kiss on the lips.

"We've just got to keep each other on our toes, wouldn't do for us to lose focus or concentration! What's the score now, honey?" Frederick responded amiably, the ghost of a smile on his lips giving away more than he would ever do deliberately.

"I believe I'm winning by one, now."

"Damn," Cordelia replied, "I'll just have to plan the next one better." Robin shook his head in amusement, he was not wholly surprised that the couple had come up with a game of basically mock assassination, they were, after all, a perfect match for each other. Both of them were military, they'd fought at each other's' side for years and were both fiercely loyal to the Crown. Cordelia, moved over and sat down. She and Robin continued discussing the wedding that wasn't so far away, while Frederick went back to listening out for the next arrival. This time, they didn't have to wait long. A light knock sounded on the door, which was opened to reveal a balding man, dressed in finery. Robin hadn't met this man personally, only knew of him from Chrom, but had heard positive things. Chrom got up from his chair to welcome their next guest.

"Lord Fahn! So good of you to join us!" the Exalt welcomed warmly. This man was Maribelle's father, and was one of the few nobles whom Chrom could tolerate, in fact he rather like the man. Lord Fahn was different from many other nobles in that, although he commanded a relatively large amount of land and wealth, he wasn't arrogant or vain. Instead, he showed great consideration for others and held relatively mild positions on most issues. He had been suggested by Chrom as a way to demonstrate to the nobles that their views were being taken into consideration, and as a way to inject some more experience into their group, which was dominated by those that were fairly young, indeed, it was almost entirely made up of people not in their thirtieth year. Even Frederick, despite seeming so old and wizened, was only thirty himself. Chrom continued making small talk with the nobleman, and guided him to his seat.

The next person to arrive was Sumia, who had left the kids with their Aunt Lissa, very advanced in her pregnancy. She took one look at Chrom and Robin and rolled her eyes, viewing them as if they were children who had misbehaved. She walked over to her husband and began attempting to straighten his clothes out and run her fingers through his hair in order to neaten it a little. Throughout this somewhat futile effort, she berated him about not getting changed before sparring, and how he'd have to take a bath now, and how there was no way he was getting into bed unless he was clean and free of sweat. Chrom just sat there and accepted the treatment, Robin smirking next to him. Sumia turned towards the tactician.

"And you! I'm not happy with you either! Surely you know better than to encourage this nitwit!" Robin shrank under the verbal lashing. Sumia certainly played her role as mother of the realm with aplomb. Once she'd finished, she sat herself down to Chrom's right. Now they were only waiting for three more. While Lon'qu would normally be on the Council, he was in Regna Ferox at the moment, visiting the Khans. This actually worked well for Chrom and Robin, as they planned to make him their envoy and expert on Regna Ferox, so that constant communication could be made with their closest allies. Robin was set to act as the envoy to Plegia. Even though he had no memory of the country, nor did he have a lot of interest in going back there, technically he was the son of the previous ruler, which gave him a reasonable right to the throne.

As Robin sat there, lost in his thoughts, he heard a rustling of clothes. When he looked up, a figure that had not been there previously was calmly sitting at the table. Lord Elohim had been a request of Chrom's, and while Robin did not know the man well, he trusted Chrom's opinion. However, based on the stunned look on the faces of those present, he hadn't taken the normal way into the room. Frederick hadn't opened the door, thus, Robin looked to the window, open to let in some air. The tail of a piece of rope could just be seen at the top of the opening. Elohim caught Robin's line of sight and smiled.

"This one is a good tactician," he directed at Chrom. "It is no surprise you won the wars." Chrom rolled his eyes.

"You just couldn't enter like a normal person, could you?" the Exalt responded.

"Where's the fun in that?" Elohim countered, the wisps of his silver hair covering one eye. Now the group were awaiting two more. Cherche, their envoy and expert on Valm, wandered in next. She'd left Minerva outside the castle, in the grounds, though didn't seem hugely pleased about it. So then there was only one that was on their way. Robin looked towards Chrom; neither of them were surprised that he was late. But they had decided they needed someone closer to the everyday lives of the Ylissean people. Someone who understood the plights of those not in nobility and who might be able to provide an additional viewpoint to key issues.

They had both agreed on who it should be to fulfil that role, it was just that they were a little wary about him. He did have a tendency to be somewhat…unpredictable. A massive crash against the door signified that he'd arrived, and he stepped inside when Frederick opened the door. Cherche's face lit up when she saw him.

"Good afternoon, dear. How are you?" He responded.

"I'm great thanks! Now what about we get on with this? Teach is here, and class is in session!" Robin and Chrom looked at each other, then at Vaike, then they both sighed in concert. Hopefully this would be worth it.

* * *

Robin wandered through the hallways of the castle back towards his chambers. It had been one week since the Council had started meeting, and the whole process was going surprisingly well. While the nobles had loudly protested about being relegated to a once a week meeting, Robin thought that secretly many of them were pleased with that. It gave them more time to wine and dine and do whatever it was that nobles did in their spare time. Father illegitimate children perhaps.

In regards to the Council itself, they had limited themselves to meeting for an hour a day. Yet, despite this short period of time, there had actually been a lot that had been achieved. A smaller number of calm, respectful voices had ensured that discussions were had, rather than arguments. All the members of the Council wanted the same thing, to ensure a better future for Ylisse, and while they might disagree on the optimal manner in which to achieve this, they could agree on the motives behind it. Though Robin had had his doubts, Vaike had proved a useful addition to the group, the connections he possessed throughout the city giving him a unique perspective on the issues of the common people, that the Exalt wouldn't be aware of.

One of the key issues they discussed was the selective ostracising of a certain aspect of the city. Following the war against Valm, and its disastrous effect on the Valmese people, many had turned to asylum, moving to Ylisse in an attempt to start again. However, public trust of this group was small. Many within Ylissean society blamed these immigrants for their lost family members, and a peaceful integration was proving difficult. What had arisen was a situation of denial of service to the Valmese, and discrimination against them in virtually every possible way. While Chrom had been aware of the problem, the extent was unprecedented. All agreed that an immediate resolution was essential, and so Chrom dispatched a series of Royal Guards to the refugee-dominated areas to assist in keeping the peace.

Robin felt the pain of those who had moved to the city. Following the first war with Plegia, many had been distrustful of him based on his heritage. There wasn't an easy way to quantify the feeling you got when someone looked at you with sheer hatred. Not a hatred born out of the need to survive, such as in a battle, but a hatred born solely of who you are, what you represent. Thus, Robin, upon discovering the extent of the issue, had proposed the solution. He had also suggested that Cherche, as a Valmese citizen, could do some work attempting to educate the immigrants of Ylissean culture. If they could fit in a little bit better, then perhaps they wouldn't face the same degree of segregation, Robin hypothesised. He was also determined to visit that are more frequently. A highly visible face like his in the area should lend some weight to the cause.

While this had been the main topic of conversation throughout the week, it was by no means the only one. Tax policy had been brought up, where Lord Fahn's relative experience in the matter had proved invaluable. In addition to this, the matter of how to deal with corruption within the nobles was also raised, though it was a hard problem to solve due to the relatively large amount of influence the nobles wielded in society. Throughout the week, Robin had been able to spend far less time with Olivia, much to his annoyance, only able to see her in the mornings and evenings, when he wasn't working.

The two of them had at that point established a series of daily rituals around living together in a manner they hadn't been able to do during the campaign. When they had first started dating, they had been in the war against Valm, and by the time Robin had proposed, against Grima. Thus, while they had spent nights in each other's tents, they had maintained their own, never having the opportunity to fully integrate with each other. This had meant that the past week and a bit had been somewhat of an adjustment period. Waking up in the middle of the night, suffocating underneath Olivia's hair wasn't new, but finding it all over all his clothes took some getting used to.

However, the two of them had been luxuriously happy, able to spend time with each other without the ever present threat that one of them wouldn't return from a battle. Every morning they got up, or rather, Robin got up, got dressed and ready for the day, and then wakened a groaning Olivia. Then the two of them would head down and have breakfast with the Royal Family, always an entertaining and loud affair. Then they'd go their separate ways. Olivia had been spending time with Inigo and Morgan, and also practicing her swordplay a little with the castle guards. Her light, flowing dancer's clothes, while not providing much in the way of protection, did provide for some significant speed, and she was often able to outmanoeuvre the guards in their heavier plating.

The dancer's attire also provided her with another advantage, distraction. Someone with her figure cut quite the sight when sweaty, her clothes sticking to her skin. The long and short of it was that she was improving rather rapidly, and Robin had earned the envy of many of the Ylissean guards. Olivia's confidence had rapidly improved as well. It was surprising to Robin how quickly she had bounced back from his return, and she could often now be found spending time with Sumia and Lissa, perfectly comfortable. However, when Robin was around, she was attached at the hip to him, constantly making physical contact as if to assure herself that he was still there. This often resulted in her foot resting on top of his under the table and lots of holding hands when walking around together.

Much to their surprise, the couple had discovered a staircase just outside their tower that led directly down to a private bathing complex. This was convenient, as it meant they didn't have to traipse across the entire, cold, stone castle to get to the main bathing complex. All in all, their lives in the castle were very comfortable, and the two of them were getting along very well. In particular, Olivia was thoroughly enjoying spending time with the little princesses, and the way she looked at Robin when she was playing with them made her intentions abundantly clear.

While the two of them had settled into a routine, today was to be different. Robin had taken the afternoon off to meet with the person who had planned Chrom and Sumia's wedding. Sumia had said that she would get the person to come and visit them, so that they could discuss the colours of tablecloths or something. Robin wasn't quite sure. Most of the wedding stuff went over his head. All he cared about was what it represented. Other than that, it could just as easily feature their closest friends and occur in their bedroom for all he cared. However, Sumia had insisted that they needed to have a large, state wedding. If nothing else, she justified, it would allow people to enjoy themselves a bit. The wedding date was set for a month from now, and as a result, preparations were, somehow, already in full swing.

He didn't dare think about that now though, else he was likely to be overwhelmed by the scope of things that had to be done. Whoever this planner was, he hoped they were able to cope with a ceremony that was rapidly expanding in size and scale. The first, and perhaps most arduous, task, was to decide upon the guest-list. Chrom knew that Robin wasn't a man for the crowds, but insisted that some nobles and members of the elite would have to be present, if for nothing else, then to attest to the fact that he was really married so that they'd stop sending their daughters to him. Another problem regarding whom to invite concerned Robin personally again.

Namely, considering that he had no memories of his life before the age of about twenty, the amount of people he wanted to invite, or even knew, was limited. He already knew that he wanted the Shepherds to be present, as well as a number of other military commanders. Basilio and Flavia would be there naturally, indeed, Robin believed at this stage that Basilio was to be the one giving Olivia away as the bride-to-be. Robin didn't have any parents, or any left, to be the one to give him away, so he'd already asked Chrom to do it, as well as being his best man. The Exalt of the realm was an acceptable substitute, he reasoned.

Lost in thought, Robin almost walked headfirst into the door. He pushed it open, already unlocked, to hear a thumping sound on the floor above him. One eyebrow raised quizzically, he ascended the stairs to the next floor. He shouldn't have been surprised by the sight, but was. Olivia was performing a series of leaping twirls across the room. A step, a light jump then a slightly higher jump faded into a high twirling leap, landing on one foot, the other leg poised perfectly straight up. Olivia was also facing away from him, so through the folds of her dancing clothes, Robin was able to make out that the underclothes Sumia had provided had become a standard. He stood there silently, loathe to interrupt her when she was in such a delicate position. He hypothesised that he might have struggled to do so even if he'd wanted to, her grace and agility always surprised him. Olivia, however, knew he was there.

"Hello, darling!" she called out cheerfully, not budging from her position. "I trust you're enjoying the view?" If Robin could have seen her face, he would have been able to see the beaming grin that stretched across it, almost as if this had been deliberately planned…

"Umm, yes, I mean, nice to see you, I mean, hi?" Robin stuttered out, blushing red at having been caught peeping, not that Olivia really minded. Olivia was getting bolder every day. Soon she'd approach a point beyond where she was before his disappearance. She seemed to gain a sense of enjoyment out of leaving Robin speechless or stuttering, an almost daily occurrence at the moment.

Robin did worry a little though, that Olivia would be getting bored. Money wasn't exactly an issue, as they were staying at the castle, their accommodation and food payed for. Even beyond this, Chrom was willing to pay Robin quite the handsome salary. So while she didn't need to work, Robin was concerned that she wouldn't have enough to do. Practicing her dancing was all well and good, but surely, being able to perform for someone would be preferable? To that end, he'd organised a surprise for the next day, which might be able to resolve the issue.

Olivia removed herself from her intricate stance, and proceeded to towel off some of the sweat that had accrued. Robin just shook his head with a wry grin, before moving upstairs to shed a layer of clothing. Ylisse was coming out of spring and into the beginning of summer, and as a result, for a reasonably variable country, it was hot today. The kicker was the humidity that would kick in during the evening. This had led to Olivia and Robin sleeping with both windows open in order to allow a cross draft. While Robin was pondering this, a knock sounded at their door. Scurrying down the two flights of stairs, Robin arrived just in time to see Olivia opening the door, revealing their guest.

"Sumia!" she exclaimed, cheerfully. "Nice to see you!" Looking past the Queen into the hallway, Olivia tried to see the wedding planner, but saw nobody. "Umm, where's the planner?" she questioned.

"You're looking at her!" Sumia smiled. Robin's jaw hit the floor. Olivia still looked a little confused.

"What? But there's nobody there?" Olivia continued. Robin interrupted the rambling.

"Honey, I think she means that SHE'S the planner," he gently suggested. A nod from Sumia confirmed this. Olivia was stunned.

"But your wedding was so big! And you're the Queen! How did you plan it all yourself?" she asked, incredulous. Sumia responded without any nonsense.

"Well, I wanted to make sure it was just right! So I asked Chrom to let me handle it myself, and I did. Obviously I needed some help, like for making the dress and everything, but overall the process was mostly directed by yours truly!" Olivia's eyes widened for two reasons, firstly due to the thought of having her own wedding dress, and secondly, impressed by Sumia's efforts. Robin, closer to the Royal Family than Olivia when the wedding had occurred, had some knowledge of Sumia's rather heavy involvement, but was still surprised by the extent. Sumia bustled her way inside and sat herself down on one of the couches in Robin's office.

"Let's get started, shall we?" she invited the two of them to join her. "The first, and most pressing thing we have to cover is the guest-list. The two of you have planned your date fairly soon. With Chrom and I, we had months to prepare, but the limited time you've set has complicated matters somewhat. The first thing is that we need to get invitations out in the next few days. So, who do you want to come?" Seemingly from nowhere, she pulled out a scroll on which to write names. Robin began.

"Well…the Shepherds," he said, a little embarrassed. Sumia wrote the names of the forty-odd of them down on the list.

"Well, I'm not sure where Gangrel or Walhart are, but other than that, I can organise that. Who next?" Robin was now at a bit of a loss. He named a few military commanders he'd befriended during their campaign, but was unable to turn up any names other than them. Sumia seemed unperturbed. She turned to Olivia.

"What about you? Anyone you want to invite?" Olivia looked down at her feet. She didn't look up as she replied.

"Cassie, and the rest of them." Robin turned to her, confused. He'd never heard those names before. Indeed, Robin hadn't actually heard a lot about Olivia's past. He'd once enquired as to where she'd come from and stuff. All she'd told him was that her parents were dead, and that she'd ended up in the employ of Basilio. She'd asked him not to enquire any further. To him, her past was just as much of a mystery as his own. So these names were completely new to him. Olivia didn't meet his eyes, she couldn't. Sumia could sense the tension, so she just wrote the names down that Olivia listed.

"Do you know where I could find them?" she asked the suddenly shy dancer gently. Olivia still didn't look up, she just quietly replied.

"Basilio will know where they are." Robin chose to let this slide. When Olivia was ready to open up about her past, she'd tell him. Until then, he just had to be a person to whom she could turn if she needed to. Nothing worse than forcing her to give up something she wasn't comfortable doing.

After that, there were no more hiccups in the process. Sumia asked them questions about their favourite colours. Olivia replied with the same shade of light pink as her hair; Robin the deep purple of the lining of his coat. Sumia also informed Olivia of when she'd need to go to dress fittings and this other stuff. In regards to Robin's clothing, the tactician was told that an expert would find him in the next few days and sort it all out, and not to worry about it. Sumia was ready to move onto the next item.

"Right! Food!" she began. But before they could begin the topic at all, they were interrupted by a scaping sound in the hallway outside, rapidly getting closer. It was accompanied by the pitter-patter of little feet, discernible now as the person got closer. A crashing at the door was unexpected, considering the presumed size of the guest. The crashing repeated over and over. Robin moved to the door to open it, then quickly stepped to the side to avoid the swing of a little wooden sword. Its wielder had been swinging at the door repeatedly, her mouth set in a determined line. Lucina noticed the door was opened, and turned to face the occupants, a smile on her face.

"Hello Mummy! Hello Uncle Robin! Hello Aunty 'Livia!" she cheerfully called out, the volume of a thunderbolt landing next to a warrior. Robin winced. Sumia responded.

"Hello honey, let's use our inside voice, please? Now what's up, Mummy is a little busy," she gently probed. Lucina was not dissuaded.

"Daddy sent me!" she replied, still loud, though a little quieter now. She was evidently very excited to have been given such an important task by her father. "He told me to get you all, he said that some people are here that you need to see." Robin's interest was piqued now.

"Who are these people?" he asked gently. Lucina responded by tapping her sword on the ground, absentmindedly.

"Dunno!" she responded after a minute. "There was a lady with red hair, and a man with blue hair! They knew who I was, but I didn't know them." Robin smiled in recognition, Anna and Priam had come back to Ylisse to visit. That didn't explain why it was so important that they come and see them now though. Robin asked another question.

"Was there anything else special?" he asked, crouching down so that he was eye-level with the little princess. Lucina was quick to respond.

"Oh yeah! There was someone else with them! Another man with blue hair, but I didn't know him either. Daddy told me to tell you something else as well; that this man was like my older sisters. Robin's eyes widened, and he stood up quickly. Olivia and Sumia realised what the princess was implying as well, and got up off the couches. Sumia turned to her daughter.

"Lucina, could you please take us to where Daddy is?" Lucina nodded, then raised her sword above her head. She turned away from the trio, then started running down the hallway, the adults struggling to keep up.

"Chaaaaaaaaarge!"

* * *

 **A/N- Hey all, hope you're all well. Sorry this one took a while, uni's been pretty hectic, but we're getting there. I've spent some time planning out each of the rest of the chapters in the story, and I now have a fairly solid plan for what I want to do. If you have any ideas, please leave them in the reviews, as I might end up adding them in. I always look forward to hearing from you! For those of you wondering what's happened to the lemon story I promised, it is underway, it's just been harder than I thought. The first chapter is well underway though, but I won't put it up until I'm happy with it. So, review responses!**

 **Greyjedi449t- Thanks! Always nice to have reviews from new people!**

 **She Who is Woe- Hopefully this chapter cleared it up a bit! I always thought Priam was underdeveloped and kind of confusing to have in the game. But neither Anna nor Priam ever married anyone in my game, so I used to just pair him and Anna in my head.**

 **RedNephilim- Someone, perhaps several someones will get drunk. Not surprised about Olivia being so in control, she knows exactly what she's doing.**

 **QLK Cinders- Thanks so much! I do like Lon'qu/Olivia, but I dunno, this just stands out to me for some reason. I'm really enjoying Olivia's development! It almost feels like she's writing herself at this point.**

 **I'm noticing how I'm adding in things about people in my life. Like characters are starting to take on the characteristics of people I know, it's kinda funny. Many of the interactions between Olivia and Robin come from my interactions with my girlfriend. All good fun!**

 **Thanks to all reviewers, and I look forward to hearing from you again soon! Please leave your ideas for future chapters!**

 **Until next time!**

 **S.**


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